Boy, 6, takes gun to creche

2005-07-19 22:00

Linda de Beer

Potchefstroom - A mother from Wolmaransstad faces possible prosecution after her six-year-old son took her revolver to his nursery school in May and then bragged to a teacher about it.

The child apparently had the weapon in his bag when he entered the classroom of the Klets en Klouter nursery school. It is claimed he asked his teacher if he could show her the "gun" he had brought along. The teacher initially thought the boy was referring to a toy.

"But when she saw it, she knew straight away it wasn't a toy," said principal Sanet Venter.

The teacher put the firearm back into the child's bag and took it to the office, whereafter the police and the child's parents were called in.

Negligent

Police captain Aafje Botma said a charge of negligent loss of a firearm was being investigated against the boy's mother. The revolver, which was confiscated, was registered in her name.

There were no bullets in the magazine, but the little boy did have a loose cartridge in his possession.

So far the mother has not wanted to make a statement to the police about how her son had gotten hold of the firearm.

Venter said no one at the school had been in danger at any stage.

Parents have since been asked to check their children's school bags every morning for "undesirable" articles.

- Beeld