A mother from Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested and charged when her 6-year-old son brought a loaded revolver to school.
The Memphis Police Department responded to a report of an armed individual at Geeter K-8 School before 8:40 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, after a resource officer informed police that a youngster had a firearm on school grounds. The Memphis Police Department says in a statement shared with PEOPLE that another kid notified staff of the firearm — “a loaded 9mm Ruger handgun” — and a teacher recovered it from the 6-year-old’s bookbag.
According to the affidavit, the child’s mother, Ke’Erinie King, allegedly confirmed ownership and claimed she obtained it from an “unknown person,” according to the outlets. Officers later examined the serial number and confirmed the firearm had been stolen.
According to the affidavit, King, 22, was detained and charged with child abuse, child negligence or endangerment, carrying a firearm on school property, and contributing to a minor’s delinquency.
According to Fox13 Memphis, King was booked into the Shelby County Jail and later released without bond. Her next court date is set for October 4. It is unclear whether she has an attorney.
In an interview with WMC-TV, King’s mother, Lakeisha Williams, spoke out about the allegations, saying, “They made it look as if she gave the child a gun to take to school or she had it somewhere where he can just go and pick it up.”
“We don’t leave our guns lying around for youngsters to easily access. “My grandson went out of his way,” she explained. “He pulled up a little chair and got his mom, and he got a hold of that gun.”
“Sometimes, as parents, maybe we need to not let our kids know exactly where we hide our guns, and also when you purchase a gun off the street, make sure that is a clean gun because you don’t know what you’re purchasing off the street these days and where they come from,” continued Williams as she talked about the radio station.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools stated the event, saying that the “school resource officer and leaders acted swiftly to address the situation.”
“We encourage all parents and guardians to check their children’s backpacks before they come to school every day. It is also critical to highlight the significant implications of bringing a firearm or replica weapon to school,” according to the statement received by PEOPLE.
“Our top goal is the safety and well-being of all pupils. We appreciate our community’s help in creating a safe learning environment,” the message said.