A teacher at a preschool in the US was left shocked after finding a handgun in the backpack of a 3-year-old girl on Tuesday. The incident happened at a Pre-K 4 SA center in San Antonio, KSAT.com reported.
According to the press release from the school, the child was unaware of the firearm in the backpack. A teacher at the school confiscated the gun and notified the police of the incident.
In an email sent to parents Tuesday afternoon, Sarah Baray, the school's CEO, said that the gun and backpack were immediately confiscated, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) later informed that the child's father was arrested on child endangerment charges.
"The child's father, 35-year-old Pete Robles, has been arrested on charges of Child Endangerment which is a felony offense. The young child has been placed under protective custody with Child Protective Services. The ongoing investigation remains active, with the possibility of additional arrests and charges,'' police said.
Meanwhile, the 3-year-old has been placed under protective custody with Child Protective Services, according to officials.
The school's CEO said while the gun was brought into the school unintentionally, the incident has caused Pre-K 4 SA to re-evaluate its safety protocols. The school has now temporarily suspended the use of backpacks on their campus and asked students to bring needed school items in a clear plastic baggie or Ziplock bags.
Effective immediately, we are pausing the use of backpacks in our schools. We know that young children sometimes bring items from home without understanding whether the item is potentially dangerous. This temporary restriction on the use of backpacks will allow us time to determine how best to proceed in the long term,'' the CEO said.
