Parent mistakenly puts gun in child’s backpack, gun taken to local school

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A parent of a Mary Castle Elementary school student accidently left a gun in their child’s backpack this week, according to a statement from the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township.

The district says a parent placed a personal firearm in their child’s backpack after they were unable to take the weapon inside another facility on Monday. The child took the backpack, and the gun to school on Tuesday without knowing it.

The district says this caused a “student and staff safety issue.” A spokesperson says the district is utilizing both legal recourse and social services to address the issue.

Here is the full statement from the school district:

“Yesterday, an adult error led to a student and staff safety issue at Mary Castle Elementary. A parent, unable to take a personal firearm inside another facility on Monday, put the weapon in the child’s backpack, neglecting to remove it. The student in question unknowingly brought the weapon to school on Tuesday. The school district is utilizing both legal recourse and social services to address the issue. The principal has been in communication with all staff and students regarding the incident.”