The Pennsylvania mother of a 6-year-old boy who was found with a handgun and bullets at his elementary school has been charged in connection to the incident, according to the district attorney.
Norristown police responded to reports at Joseph K. Gotwals Elementary School on Feb. 9, 2023, that a child had a gun.
Jasmin Devlin was arrested and charged after her son took a gun from her dresser to school, according to the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania district attorney. (Montgomery County DA office)
A 6-year-old boy reportedly showed the gun and bullets to other students on a school bus heading to school. When the students got off the bus, a group of them immediately told the school’s secretary. The secretary then called the boy to the office, investigated his backpack and saw the firearm before calling police, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele’s office said in a press release.
Now, Jasmin Devlin, 30, of Norristown is facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment related to failing to secure a firearm in her home.
Detectives learned through an investigation that on Feb. 8, the 6-year-old boy found his mother’s 9-mm handgun in her dresser drawer.
FILE- Police caution tape at a crime scene. (iStock)
After finding the gun, the DA said, his 10-year-old brother took the bullets out and pretended to shoot him. In the middle of the night, detectives learned, the boy put the gun into his backpack then took it to school in the morning.
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“This incident is a frightening reminder of the fact that children can and do find unsecured firearms in a home, and they play with them. Thankfully, these young boys were not shot or injured in their home, and no one was shot or injured at school thanks to the quick action by school personnel,” Steele said. “This case is also a reminder of just how dangerous straw purchased firearms are.”
Devlin turned herself into police on Tuesday and was arraigned in court before Magisterial District Judge Albert J. Augustine set the bail at $50,000. The judge also ordered that Devlin is not permitted to contact her children.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24.
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The DA added that an investigation found the gun was a straw purchase firearm that was purchased on March 4, 2022, by Joseph Rudnitskas, 33, of Norristown, Pennsylvania. Rudnitskas was arrested on April 9 and is awaiting trial on multiple felony charges.