Toddler brings loaded police officer's gun to Canton daycare, parent arrested

A toddler arrived at a Canton, Michigan daycare with a loaded handgun in its holster. The child's parent, a police officer from a neighbouring department, is in custody.

Loaded gun found at Children's World Early Learning Center in Canton

Canton police took a parent into custody on Monday after a toddler brought a loaded handgun to a daycare centre on Sheldon Road in Southeast Michigan, fox2detroit.com reports.

Officers were dispatched to the Children's World Early Learning Center following a report that the toddler had been found in possession of a firearm. The weapon, which was still in its holster, was secured at the scene and an investigation is now underway.

Canton police told FOX 2 they have video footage of the toddler removing the firearm while at the facility. The owner of the handgun is a police officer from a neighbouring department, and that officer — who is a parent of the child — is currently in custody. Police added that the other parent is also a subject of the investigation.

It remains unclear how the toddler gained access to the weapon.

The daycare issued a statement following the incident: "We pride ourselves on being one of the safest centers in the Canton area. It is our priority. Although this incident was out of our control, we are very proud of our staff and especially the teacher who responded so quickly. It was an unfortunate incident. No one was hurt and all safety measures were followed. Because of our attention to safety and our strict adherence to protocols, we avoided what could have been a tragedy."

Canton Police also released a statement, saying "our officers responded quickly, secured the weapon and immediately started an investigation." The police chief additionally recognised the daycare staff for their prompt response in locating the firearm.

No injuries were reported. FOX 2 has reached out to law enforcement for further details.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)