Parents charged after toddler found with loaded handgun at Canton daycare
Both parents of a child who was in possession of a loaded handgun at his daycare center in Canton Township were charged Thursday.
Brandon Ely, a 28-year-old Detroit police officer, and Rabab Al Zayad, 27, both of Wayne County, were arraigned Thursday morning in the 35th District Court in Plymouth in connection with the unsafe storage of a firearm.
Around 8:55 a.m. on Monday, officers responded to the Children's World Early Learning Center and collected a firearm that was found with a 3-year-old, officials say.
The firearm had been passed to other students, and a teacher removed it from the children with no injuries, authorities say.
Authorities had confirmed that the gun was not a service weapon.
Al Zayad has been charged with one count of unsafe storage, and Ely was charged with one count of fourth-degree child abuse.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Ely owns nine firearms at his home. The judge ruled that the defendants may not possess or own any firearms and shall not be at the daycare.
In a statement to CBS News Detroit, the Detroit Police Department said:
"The Detroit Police Department is aware of an incident that occurred in another jurisdiction involving one of our officers. The officer has been placed on administrative duty, no gun status, while we actively review this matter. If it is determined that the officer violated department policy or the law, that individual will be held accountable.
The Detroit Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability and maintaining the public's trust. We hold our officers to the highest standards—both on and off-duty—and remain unwavering in our commitment to the principle that no one is above the law."
The next pretrial date was set for Oct. 30, and a $10,000 bond was set for both instances.
"These are the charges that we will be able prove in court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. It is very unsettling to think about what may have happened in this case. We are thankful that there was no loss of life at this daycare center," said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy commended the daycare staff for responding quickly to the incident.
In a statement to CBS News Detroit, Children's World Early Learning Center said:
"We pride ourselves on being one of the safest centers in the Canton area. It is our priority. Although this incident was out of our control, we are very proud of our staff and especially the teacher who responded so quickly. It was an unfortunate incident. No one was hurt and all safety measures were followed. Because of our attention to safety and our strict adherence to protocols, we avoided what could have been a tragedy."
