From Law & Crime · · 2m
2-year-old at daycare with loaded gun in mouth
Virginia daycare operator left loaded gun accessible to children while staff checked phones.
In brief
Virginia daycare operator left loaded gun accessible to children while staff checked phones. A Virginia daycare operator faced charges after a 2-year-old placed a loaded gun in their mouth while staff looked down at phones. Originally reported by Law & Crime.
Incident at Thrive Learning Center East
A 2-year-old at a daycare found a loaded gun left in an unzipped fanny pack and placed it in their mouth.
Staff members distracted
Staff members were looking down at their phones while another staff member had her back turned.
Daycare operator charged
Martha Evans faces charges of possession of a firearm on school property and reckless handling of a firearm.
Gun left accessible
Evans allegedly left the loaded gun 'accessible to children' on a stack of cots about 2 1/2 feet off the ground.
Child placed gun in mouth
The toddler took the gun out of the fanny pack and put it in their mouth before putting it down on a table.
Staff noticed after delay
About 15 seconds passed before anyone noticed the child was in possession of the gun.
Staff reaction
The staff member putting socks on the other child saw the gun, immediately jumped up, grabbed the weapon and handed it to Evans.
Pattern of behavior
Evans has regularly brought a firearm into the center inside of a fanny bag for nearly four months.
Daycare reporting delay
The daycare allegedly did not report the incident to the Department of Social Services for four days.
State response
The state wrote in its Plan of Correction that all staff will be trained on mandated reporting requirements and zero tolerance for firearms.
Daycare closure
WTVR reported that the daycare closed Friday after the incident.
Evans released
Evans has since bonded out of jail with her next court date set for December 15.
Other violations
Investigators found other violations including a 14-month-old left unsupervised during nap and children without required immunizations.
State action
The state required Thrive Learning Center East to adhere to zero tolerance for firearms on daycare property.
Consequence
The daycare operator faces charges and the facility closed after the incident.
Here's the gist
A Virginia daycare operator faced charges after a 2-year-old placed a loaded gun in their mouth while staff looked down at phones.
