Mother Charged For Gun Brought To Alexandria Elementary School

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The mother of the child who brought a gun to an Alexandria elementary school has been charged by police.

Alexandria Police arrested and charged Alexa Dickens, 31, of Alexandria, with allowing access to firearms by children. Dickens is the mother of a Lyles-Crouch Elementary School student who found a handgun in their backpack at school on March 1.

Police had determined the student did not know the backpack contained a gun when it went to school. The student accidentally took the wrong backpack, which contained a relative's legally-owned handgun.

Police say the student told a teacher, who took the bag and notified school administrators. The relative had told police the gun belonged to them.

The charge follows an investigation by Alexandria Police and consultation with the Commonwealth's Attorney.