Now, more details: The person who allegedly left the gun in this spot is James Chavez, 27. The gun was loaded -- and the little girl unwittingly packing heat is just four-years old.
This information comes courtesy of Lakewood Police Department spokesman Steve Davis, who shares the events that took place at Molholm Elementary School.
"The teacher indicated to us that she was getting some of the kids' belongings together for the end of the school day, and she found this weapon in the backpack of the four-year-old child," Davis says.
Both Chavez and the girl's grandmother were contacted by the school, and after their arrival, Davis believes they were initially unaware that LPD personnel were also on the scene. Under police questioning, "Mr. Chavez indicated to us that he had placed the gun in her backpack earlier in the morning and forgot it was there."
According to Chavez, he had a loaded gun on hand "because he'd been the victim of a shooting sometime in the past and carried it for protection," Davis goes on. "But why it was placed in a four-year-old's backpack, I have no idea. I certainly can't think of a good reason. It was a tragedy waiting to happen, and luckily it did not."
Chavez was subsequently booked on charges of child abuse, reckless endangerment and bringing a loaded weapon onto school property -- although the specifics of that could change depending upon the determination of the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office.
Davis adds that as far as his officers could tell, the four-year old had no idea she had a gun in her backpack. Which turned out to be a very good thing.
