DETROIT — A Michigan mother is facing criminal charges for allegedly dropping off her 3-year-old child at a day care center with a loaded gun in the minor's backpack, prosecutors announced on June 4.

The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office said the incident occurred on May 14 when Kelly Reid, 34, dropped off her child at a day care center in Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit. Prosecutors said an employee would later discover a loaded handgun after opening the backpack, an item that was supposed to contain her child's snack.

Reid had allegedly placed the gun in the child's backpack to carry it to and from her car, but failed to remove it before dropping off her child, according to the prosecutor's office. The name of the child care center where the incident occurred was not released.

The incident prompted Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald to charge Reid with reckless use of a firearm, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days and/or a $500 fine. Hunting privileges also could be suspended.

"I’m grateful this is a story about a misdemeanor charge instead of a tragedy,” McDonald said in a statement announcing the charges. “A loaded gun needs to be secured. Failing to do so around small children is absolutely reckless. The employee who found the gun should be commended for quickly securing it and contacting police.”

Reid could not be reached for comment. An attorney of record for her has not yet been listed in court documents.

Latest parent in the U.S. to face charges for mishandling of firearms

Reid is among several parents in Michigan — and across the country — who have faced criminal charges in recent years over their alleged mishandling of guns.

The most prominent case in Michigan involved James and Jennifer Crumbley, both convicted of involuntary manslaughter for their roles in the November 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School carried out by their son. The parents were accused of, among other things, failing to properly secure a weapon.

The shooter, who was 15 at the time of the killings, sneaked a gun out of his home and used it to shoot up his school. He pleaded guilty to all his crimes, including murdering four students and injuring seven others, and is serving a life sentence.

In September 2024, the father of the suspected shooter who opened fire at a Georgia high school was charged with allowing his son access to the weapon used in the shooting. Two students and two teachers were killed when the suspect, who was 14 at the time, carried out the shooting, investigators said.

"His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon," Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey previously said.

In April 2023, the mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot a teacher at a Virginia elementary school was charged with felony child neglect and recklessly leaving a loaded firearm to endanger a child, a misdemeanor. The shooting sparked conversations around the country about gun violence in schools and children's access to firearms.

The mother later reached a plea deal with state prosecutors, who dropped the child endangerment charge, and she was sentenced to two years in prison in December 2023 for child neglect. She was also separately convicted in federal court charges, in which she admitted to using marijuana while owning a gun and lying about her marijuana use on a federal form.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan mom dropped off child at day care with loaded gun in backpack, prosecutors say

Reporting by Tresa Baldas and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY NETWORK / Detroit Free Press

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