A Richmond childcare centre remains closed and its administrator is facing criminal charges after a 2-year-old child got hold of a loaded gun inside a classroom and put the firearm in their mouth, according to Virginia Department of Social Services records reported by WTVR CBS 6. The incident happened on September 25 at Thrive Learning Center East in South Richmond. No shot was fired, and the records and news reports reviewed did not identify any physical injury to the child or to the other children nearby.
Source: WTVR CBS 6 via USFTB
State records say the gun was inside an unzipped fanny pack that administrator Martha Evans, 66, had placed on a low stack of children's cots, about two and a half feet off the floor and accessible to children. The 2-year-old — whose name and gender have not been disclosed — removed the gun, put it in their mouth, and then walked over and placed it on a table where five other children were nearby. Inspectors said the child had the firearm for about 15 seconds before a staff member noticed and took it away.
Three staff members were caring for eight children in the room at the time. According to the state report, two were looking down at their phones shortly before the child reached the gun, while the third had her back turned while helping another child put on socks. That staff member turned around, saw what was happening and immediately took the weapon. The gun was then placed in a lock box and later removed from the building, the records say.
Late reporting and a criminal case
The centre did not report the incident to the Department of Social Services within the mandatory 24-hour window. The department was notified on September 29, four days after the incident, according to the records. Richmond police said Evans brought the firearm into the centre. She was arrested on October 7 and charged with felony possession of a firearm at a school and misdemeanour reckless handling of a firearm. She has been released on bond and is expected in court on December 15. The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
State records also say employees reported that Evans had brought a firearm to the centre on other occasions and that it had previously been kept in the fanny pack. An October 8 state review also cited the centre for inadequate supervision and problems with vaccination documentation, according to reports citing the inspection findings.
Centre closed, licence under review
Thrive Learning Center East opened in March and was operating under a provisional licence. The Virginia Department of Education said it began investigating after learning of the allegations and conducted a follow-up visit on September 30. The centre stopped operating on October 1 and has remained closed while administrative proceedings continue. The department said it recommended the strongest available consequences and would keep the facility closed during that process.
Evans did not respond to reporters' requests for comment, and the centre's managing member declined to answer questions about why the firearm was brought into the facility or why parents were not immediately notified, according to WTVR's reporting. The criminal case and the licensing proceeding are separate and both remain ongoing.