2-Year-Old Accessed, Handled Loaded Gun At Richmond Daycare: Virginia Social Services Dept

RICHMOND, VA – A two-year-old at a Richmond day care picked up a staff member's loaded firearm and put it in their mouth, according to a new report.

According to documents from the Virginia Department of Social Services, an administrator at the Thrive Learning Center East in South Richmond brought a loaded weapon to the facility on Sept. 25.

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The loaded firearm was stored inside an unzipped fanny pack, according to the department. The fanny bag was placed on a low stack of cots inside a classroom and accessible to children. A two-year-old child took the loaded firearm out of the fanny pack and placed the firearm in their mouth before placing it on a table near five other children.

The department says that about 30 seconds before the toddler got ahold of the weapon, the three adults present, two members of staff and the administrator who brought the weapon, were looking at cell phones. While the child was accessing the weapon, two of the adults were still looking at cell phones while the third was putting socks on a child with her back to the toddler with the weapon.

Further complaints in department's documents allege that the same administrator routinely brought a firearm to the facility over a period of four months and consistently stored it in an area accessible to children.

The Social Services Department also notes that staff at the facility failed to report the incident to the department within the required 24-hour window and only reported it four days later.

According to a report by WTVR, the administrator is facing criminal charges.