Authorities in Virginia have brought charges against the parents of a third-grade student after a gun the minor found and took to school accidentally fired while he was in class.
Per the New York Post, the incident occurred at the Lee Hill Elementary School in Spotsylvania on Monday. The minor’s parents, identified as Ciara Armstead, 36, and Terrence Carroll Jr., 34, were later arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
In a statement, the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office said that the minor found an unsecured handgun at home and put it in his backpack before taking it to school.
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“At some point while in the classroom, the child reached into his backpack to retrieve something and inadvertently pulled the trigger on the gun,” authorities said, adding that there were 26 students in class at the time.
After the gun was discharged, authorities said that all of the students were safely evacuated by a teacher who also informed the School Resource Officer about what had happened. Authorities also said that no student or staff sustained any physical injuries.
“Early interviews indicate there was no intent to do harm by the student,” the statement also said.
Armstead and Carroll have since been charged with recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm so as to endanger the life or limb of a child under the age of 14 (misdemeanor) and while having custody of a child, willfully or negligently cause or permit the life of such child to be endangered (felony).
The suspects were later released on a $5,000 unsecured bond, and they’re scheduled to appear in the Spotsylvania County Juvenile Domestic Court on Friday, April 11 for arraignment.
