A toddler pulled a loaded handgun from a backpack at a Michigan day care on Monday, Sept. 28, according to People. Both parents have since been charged, Fox 2 Detroit reported. The child found the holstered gun during class at Children’s World Early Learning Center, a Canton day care, the outlet stated.
A teacher spotted the handgun, stepped in and alerted police. Officers secured the gun, which was loaded and still in its holster. Nobody was hurt. Both parents were arraigned Thursday, Oct. 1, in 35th District Court in Plymouth. Rabab Al Zayad faces a 93-day misdemeanor count of unsafe storage.
Brandon Ely faces a one-year misdemeanor count of fourth-degree child abuse. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said, “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.”
Judge orders both parents to surrender their firearms
Judge Joe Barone set a $10,000 unsecured personal bond for each parent and told both to give up their firearms until the case ends. Barone denied a request from Ely’s attorney to let him keep a firearm for work. The next court date is Oct. 30. Ely is a veteran of the Detroit Police Department, which placed him on administrative duty with no-gun status pending its review.
Joseph Bialy, Canton’s police chief, said he believes the day care’s protocols, along with an instructor in the room who safely removed the gun, “kept everybody safe and avoided a tragedy.” He also said, “While this incident was unintentional, the responsibility for the safe and secure storage of firearms rests unequivocally with the firearm owner.” He added, “A loaded firearm in the hands of a toddler is an extremely serious matter and we will continue to treat it that way.”
Canton police also urged residents to use free gun safety locks and other resources the department offers. The center removed the family from its enrollment “as an obligation to maintain the safety and security of all children and staff,” according to the day care. It also added “additional safety measures, including searching bags,” the day care said.
Michigan law sets rules for storing guns around children. When a gun is left unattended where a minor is, or is likely to be, present, it must be stored in a locked box or container. The other option is to keep it unloaded with a properly engaged locking device, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that every gun in a home be locked and unloaded, with ammunition locked up separately. It also advises making sure children cannot reach the keys or combinations to lock boxes or gun safes.
Published: Oct 1, 2026 11:41 am