State records say the 2-year-old handled the firearm for about 15 seconds before a worker noticed and intervened.
RICHMOND, Va. — A Richmond daycare remains closed after a 2-year-old gained access to a loaded firearm inside a classroom and put the gun in their mouth, an incident that has led to criminal charges against an administrator and an ongoing state licensing proceeding.
Virginia social services records say the incident happened Sept. 25 at Thrive Learning Center East in South Richmond. The firearm was inside an unzipped fanny pack that had been placed on a low stack of children’s cots, according to the records. The child removed the gun, put it in their mouth and walked toward a table where five other children were nearby before a staff member recognized what was happening and took the weapon away.
Investigators said the child had the loaded firearm for about 15 seconds. Records reviewed by Richmond news organizations said an administrator and another employee had been looking down at their phones shortly before the child reached the gun. A third worker had their back turned while helping another child. Eight children were being cared for by the three adults at the time.
Richmond police identified the administrator as 66-year-old Martha Evans. Police said Evans brought the firearm into the child care center and was arrested Oct. 7. Authorities have said she faces charges involving possession of a firearm at a child daycare center and reckless storage of a firearm. The charges are allegations, and the criminal case has not been resolved.
State records also say the gun was removed from the immediate classroom area after staff recovered it. It was placed in a lock box and later removed from the building. No shooting was reported, and the reviewed state records and news reports did not identify a physical injury to the child or the other children who were nearby.
The episode did not reach state officials immediately. Records say the center did not report the incident to the Department of Social Services within the required 24-hour period. The department was notified Sept. 29, four days after the child accessed the firearm. Richmond police detectives later assisted with a Child Protective Services investigation.
The Virginia Department of Education said it began investigating after learning of the allegations and conducted a follow-up visit Sept. 30. Thrive Learning Center East stopped operating Oct. 1 and has remained closed while administrative proceedings continue. The department has said it recommended the strongest available consequences and would keep the facility closed during that process.
The state inquiry has also focused on whether the presence of a firearm at the daycare was an isolated event. Newly obtained education department records say employees reported that Evans had brought a firearm to the center on other occasions. The records described staff accounts indicating that bringing the gun to work had become routine and that it had previously been kept in the fanny pack.
Evans and the daycare were contacted by local reporters after the state records became public. Evans did not respond to requests for comment reported by WTVR. The daycare’s managing member also declined to answer a reporter’s questions about why the firearm was brought into the facility or why parents were not immediately notified.
The criminal and administrative proceedings remain separate. Evans is expected to return to court in December, while state officials continue the licensing process involving Thrive Learning Center East. The daycare remains closed as Virginia education officials consider further action against its license.
Author note: Last updated October 21, 2026.