Virginia daycare temporarily shut down after 2-year-old allegedly put director’s loaded gun in mouth

RICHMOND, Va. ( WRIC ) — Virginia has temporarily shut down a Richmond daycare after a 2-year-old child allegedly found and put its director’s gun in their mouth .

Thrive Learning Center East, LLC — a daycare and preschool for kids as young as 6 weeks old — has not been operating since Oct. 1 while the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) investigates the incident.

According to the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS), the incident took place on Friday, Sept. 25. On that day, an administrator brought a loaded gun to the facility in their fanny pack.

While the Virginia DSS did not identify this administrator, the Richmond Police Department confirmed the arrest of 66-year-old Martha Evans in connection with the incident. Thrive Learning Center East’s website identifies Evans as the daycare’s co-owner and director.

Per the Virginia DSS, Evans left her fanny pack, unzipped, on a low stack of cots in a classroom, about 31 inches from the floor. DSS said she regularly brought the gun to work with her and that it was often left within the reach of children.

A 2-year-old child took the gun from the fanny pack and placed it barrel-side first into their mouth, according to DSS. The child, still holding the gun in their mouth, walked over to a table where five other kids were sitting on the floor. The child briefly put the gun down, then picked it up again.

The incident happened over the course of about 15 seconds. During that time, both Evans and another staff member were looking down at their phones, according to DSS. A third staff member had their back to the child, as they were putting socks on another child.

The staff member looking at their phone noticed the child had the administrator’s gun. They “immediately jumped up from a seated position,” took the gun from the child and gave it to Evans, DSS said.

It took four days for staff to report the incident to DSS. Under state law, they should have done so within 24 hours.

Richmond Police detectives reportedly responded to assist with a Child Protective Services investigation into the incident on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Evans was later arrested and charged with both possession of a firearm at a child daycare center and reckless storage of a firearm.

VDOE provided the following statement confirming Thrive Learning Center East’s temporary closure as it investigates:

“Ensuring that a child is physically safe is our first and most fundamental responsibility as educators. Virginia law is crystal clear that young children should never be around unsecured firearms while in the care of public schools and child care facilities. As soon as VDOE was made aware of the allegations of a child accessing a gun at Thrive Learning Center East, VDOE staff immediately initiated an investigation with Child Protective Services and conducted a follow up visit at the center the next day, Wednesday, September 30. We then moved through the investigative steps with all appropriate haste, and recommended the strongest possible consequences. Thrive has not been operating since October 1, and will not while administrative proceedings are taking place. The safety of children in child care facilities is paramount to all we do, and the VDOE will continue to exercise its full authority under the law as quickly as it can to keep children safe.”

While investigating this incident, Nexstar’s WRIC discovered that Thrive Learning Center East has not had a clean inspection since March 10. Virginia DSS identified 56 violations between early June and Oct. 1.

This includes an Aug. 3 incident in which a 3-year-old child was served uncut grapes, began to choke and then had to go find the only teacher in the room to receive help.

A gate into the kitchen left open while unattended oil boiled on the stove

A sharp metal strip hanging from the roof of a trailer within reach of children

Peeling and warped table surfaces with sharp edges and exposed metal

Disinfectant sprays and cleaning solutions left unsecured and within reach of children

Children as young as 13 months old left unattended while sleeping

Children left unattended while playing outside

Negligence with hygiene, including handwashing for both children and staff

Missing critical information on children at the daycare, such as their guardians’ names and phone numbers, their allergies and more