The 7 Investigators are digging deeper into the tragic incident of a child getting ahold of a gun and shooting two other young kids inside a child care home in Dearborn.
- Toddler shoots two 3-year-olds in Dearborn home daycare, owners questioned
- Two children shot by toddler at Dearborn home daycare in critical condition
The State of Michigan does not ban guns from being kept inside home care or child care facilities.
State officials also confirm that the home on Harding Street in Dearborn where the morning shooting happened is not licensed. The owners Samantha and Timothy Eubanks could be guilty of a misdemeanor for that, based on state laws.
But there will likely be more serious felony charges considered by the prosecutor in this case. The Eubanks have no criminal background.
The 7 Investigators found 3 state documents available online that guide parents and child care providers with the rules and laws. We’ve posted those here on our website.
We found in the rules and laws:
- A family care home is defined as 1-6 kids
- Those kids are not related to the owners or caregivers
- The care is for more than 4 weeks a year
- And the caregiver is paid more than $600 in a year.
We also found the state allows guns at facilities under these strict rules:
- The guns must be unloaded
- Stored in a locked location
- No access by kids
- Ammunition must also be locked up in a separate location
- And guns can’t be traded or sold while kids are present
It is also not unusual for parents to trust non-licensed providers, but an expert at Oakland Community College in Early Childhood Education says ask a lot of questions.
“A lot of people are intimidated to have a conversation with a family friend, or neighbor about guns in their house. But that’s a real issue,” says Tiffany Wright Ofeimu.
She also says it should not be taboo to let kids play with toy guns. It can be a learning experience.
“What do they do if they come across a gun? Fantasy verses reality," she says. "Children see guns in movies and video games and don’t understand the real repercussions.”
She does not say don’t use a family friend or a neighbor as a day care provider, but know you won’t have the safety net if they are not licensed.
BCAL_PUB_8_3_16_523999_7 by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
BCAL_PUB_784_9_15_499332_7 by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
Home Technical Assistance and Consultation Manual - Effective 1-1-16 509880 7 by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
