A two-year-old child narrowly escaped tragedy after putting a loaded gun into their mouth at a nursery in Virginia, while staff members were allegedly distracted by their mobile phones, according to state inspectors.
The incident occurred at Thrive Learning Center East in Richmond on September 25, after daycare operator Martha Evans, 66, allegedly brought a loaded firearm into the facility.
According to a report by the Virginia Department of Social Services, Evans regularly carried the weapon in a waist bag that was allegedly left accessible to children.
On the day of the incident, she reportedly left the bag unzipped on a stack of cots about 2.5 feet above the ground, allowing the toddler to reach inside and take out the gun.
The child then put the loaded firearm into their mouth before placing it on a table beside five other toddlers. The child reportedly held the weapon for about 15 seconds before a staff member turned around and quickly snatched it away.
Three staff members were reportedly present in the room at the time. Two were allegedly distracted by their phones, while the third was helping another child put on socks.
Evans 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 since been released on bond and is due to appear in court on December 15, according to court records.
The state report also highlighted other alleged safety and administrative failures at the nursery. The centre reportedly failed to notify the department of the incident within the mandatory 24-hour reporting period, only reporting it on September 29, four days after the near-miss.
On the same day as the firearm incident, another toddler was allegedly left unsupervised behind a closed door while napping.
Inspectors also found that two of the eight children enrolled at the centre lacked basic immunisation records. One child had no paperwork listing their parents’ names, authorised pick-up arrangements or emergency contact details.
Concerns were also raised about staff qualifications and checks. One of the three workers reportedly lacked proof of a negative tuberculosis test, while another only received basic orientation and training three months after starting work.
A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) said child safety was its “first and most fundamental responsibility”, adding that state law prohibited young children from being exposed to unsecured firearms while in the care of schools and childcare facilities.
The department said it launched an investigation with Child Protective Services as soon as it became aware of the allegations and conducted a follow-up visit to the centre on September 30.
The spokesperson added that officials had proceeded with the investigation and recommended the strongest possible consequences.
The nursery reportedly closed last Friday as the investigation and legal proceedings continued.
