Mom gave girl a gun to pass to dad before school, but child forgot, FL cops say
A gun discovered in a girl’s book bag at a North Florida elementary school had been intentionally placed there by her mother, investigators say.
It happened Wednesday, Aug. 13, in Middleburg and ended with the child’s mom being arrested, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said in a Aug. 13 news release
“At the beginning of the school day, a Coppergate Elementary student opened their backpack and discovered a gun inside of it. The student told their teacher, who immediately informed supervisors and our agency. The weapon was confiscated,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Through investigative techniques and interviews, we discovered the child’s parents don’t live together (and) the mother placed the gun in the backpack and told the young child to return the firearm to their father before they left for school. The child was taken to Coppergate Elementary by their father.”
Those instructions were quickly forgotten, and that’s what led to the child being dropped off at school with her dad’s gun, officials said.
The girl’s mom was arrested and charged “with child neglect and giving a firearm to a minor,” the sheriff’s office said.
“It’s crucial that parents know what their children are bringing to school before they leave home. Look in their backpacks, ask questions and have conversations on what’s appropriate to bring to school,” Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said in the release.
“In this specific case, this was a poor decision and could’ve ended in tragedy. I’m grateful for our partnership with Clay County District Schools and applaud our school resource deputies and detectives for their work to keep our students safe.”
The school was put into a “secure status” after the gun was found, which “allows teachers to continue instructing while preventing anyone to leave or enter school grounds,” officials said.
Coppergate Elementary has just over 600 students in grades pre-K through six, according to Greatschools.org.
Middleburg is about a 30-mile drive southwest from Jacksonville.
This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 7:27 AM with the headline "Mom gave girl a gun to pass to dad before school, but child forgot, FL cops say."