Michigan parents charged after 3-year-old brings loaded handgun to day-care

CANTON TOWNSHIP, Michigan: The parents of a three-year-old boy have been formally charged after their son reportedly carried a loaded handgun into a day-care centre in Canton Township, Michigan and passed the gun between other children after which the teacher intervened.

The incident took place on Monday, September 28, 2026 at the Children’s World Early Learning Center on Sheldon Road, in the Detroit metropolitan area.

According to the Prosecutor’s office from Wayne County and Canton Township police, officers responded to the day-care just before 9:00 a.m. after which the staff informed officers that the child had been carrying a holstered handgun.

Investigators stated that the boy discovered the gun within a backpack which had been carried to the day-care by the child's parents. The child took out the loaded gun and it was later passed between several children in the classroom.

A teacher observed the situation, quickly stepped in and took possession of the firearm from the children. No gunshots were fired and no children or day-care workers sustained any injury.

The parents of the child, 28-year-old Brandon John Ely and 27-year-old Rabab Ibrahim Al Zayad, both from Wayne County, appeared in a court in 35th District Court in Plymouth on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

Al Zayad has been charged with one count of unsecured storage of a weapon, a misdemeanor carrying a penalty of up to 93 days in jail. Whereas Ely, an officer in the Detroit Police Department, has been charged with one count of fourth-degree child abuse, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum sentence of one year.

The judicial proceeding identified that Ely has nine firearms kept at his residence in three firearm safes. His attorney requested that he be permitted to keep a firearm for official police duties but Judge Joe Barone rejected the request.

The judge ordered the couple to hand over their firearms and banned them from possessing guns as the legal proceedings continue. Ely has also been assigned to restricted duty without carrying a firearm.

Both the defendants were released on US$10,000 (27,025.50 EC) unsecured personal bonds. They were also directed not to visit the day-care centre. The next court hearing is scheduled for October 30, 2026 through a pretrial conference.