Grandmother speaks out after grandson informs school about gun in another student's backpack in Ford Heights
A 7-year-old boy in the Chicago Heights area may have saved lives at his elementary school after he said he spotted a gun in another student's backpack.
"If you see something, say something" is what we are told to do at a young age, and that's what the child did. Now, his family said they are receiving threats, which is why they spoke out anonymously.
"All I could think of was how many children could have possibly lost their lives if action wasn't taken," the grandmothers said.
It's the children at Medgar Evers Elementary School in Ford Heights who were at risk last Thursday when the Cook County Sheriff's Office said a loaded gun was found in a student's backpack. It was discovered by staff after Ford Heights School District 169 said a student noticed it and told his teacher.
The grandmother of the boy said she's proud of him.
"I'm super proud of him. I spoke with my family, and I said, 'See, my snitching gene came in handy!" she said.
The sheriff's office said the student's father, 43-year-old Charles Warren, placed the loaded gun in the backpack. The district said he put it there to keep it away from another sibling.
Warren was charged with misdemeanor endangering the life or health of a child. He was cited and released.
Since then, the grandmother said that Warren has gone on Facebook and posted videos threatening her family.
"If you are a gunholder, it is your responsibility to make sure it is safe. Lock it up in a safe and secure it away from children so that this doesn't happen," she said.
And while she said her grandson did the right thing and reported the gun to his teacher, he is also receiving some backlash.
"He's like, I'm scared. I'm like, you didn't do anything wrong, though, so now he has that fear. So it's still trying to assure him that what you did was a good thing," she said.
The sheriff's office said no one was hurt, and there is no evidence that the gun was displayed or handled.
The grandmother said she is working with school board members in hopes of implementing a clear bag policy in the future.
