Parents arraigned after second-grader allegedly brought gun to Massachusetts school

Two Swansea parents were in court Wednesday, facing firearm and child endangerment charges after police say their second-grade child brought a gun to school and showed classmates.

Christopher and Heather Spangler were arraigned Wednesday in Fall River District Court, where they pleaded not guilty to a series of charges including multiple counts of firearm possession without a license, improper storage of firearm near a minor and reckless endangerment of a child.

Massachusetts parents arraigned

The couple is accused of keeping several unregistered and unsecured firearms in their home within reach of children.

According to Swansea police, detectives received an anonymous tip on April 6 reporting that two second-grade students at Hoyle Elementary School told their parents another student brought a gun to school in a backpack and showed it to them.

The tipster said they were notified by the school but expressed concern that the incident was not reported to police immediately. Police or school officials never found a gun or ammunition on campus.

Police records state the student and the Spanglers denied the incident ever happened. Chris Spangler reportedly told police he and his wife were not licensed and "therefore he didn't have any firearms."

Detectives later executed a search warrant at the family's home, where they say they recovered five guns and ammunition. Police said all were unsecured, with no locking mechanisms, including a Beretta pistol they say matched the description of the one reportedly seen in the backpack. Some were stored among clothes in a drawer and nightstand in the home.

Swansea schools reviewing response

Both the Spanglers and their attorney declined to comment on the charges outside court Wednesday.

The couple was released on their own personal recognizance with the condition they surrender all firearms. They are due back in court in June.

In a letter to families at the time, Swansea Superintendent Scott Holcomb said that the school became aware of this incident over a weekend, but did not report it to police until Monday

"We recognize that police should have been notified immediately once the report was received," he said. "The district will conduct a full review of the response to this situation to determine the procedures that should be strengthened and whether additional staff training or discipline is necessary."