State officials are pursuing administrative action after inspectors said a 2-year-old handled an administrator’s firearm while adults were nearby.
RICHMOND, Va. — A Richmond daycare remains closed while state administrative proceedings continue after inspectors said a 2-year-old gained access to a loaded handgun, put the firearm in their mouth and carried it near other children before an employee intervened.
The Sept. 25 incident at Thrive Learning Center East has led to criminal charges against administrator Martha Evans and a broader state review of the center’s operations. The Virginia Department of Education said the daycare has not operated since Oct. 1 and will remain closed while administrative proceedings are underway. State officials have not publicly specified what final licensing action will be taken.
Virginia Department of Social Services inspection records said the loaded gun had been brought into the center in an unzipped fanny pack and placed on a low stack of cots where children could reach it. The records said the 2-year-old removed the firearm, put it in their mouth and walked toward a table where five other children were nearby. The child handled the gun for about 15 seconds before an adult noticed and took it away. No shooting or physical injury to a child was reported.
Three adults were caring for eight children at the time, according to the state findings. Inspectors said Evans and another staff member had been looking down at their phones shortly before the child reached the gun. A third employee had their back turned while helping another child put on socks. After the firearm was recovered, it was placed in a lock box and removed from the immediate area, according to the inspection findings.
State investigators also said the firearm had been brought to the daycare on previous occasions and had been left within children’s reach. The inspection findings raised concerns not only about the presence of the gun but also about supervision and the center’s response after the incident. Social Services was not notified until Sept. 29, four days after the child accessed the firearm, according to state records. Inspectors said the incident should have been reported sooner under applicable reporting requirements.
Richmond police arrested Evans on Oct. 7 in connection with the firearm incident. Authorities have said she faces charges related to possessing a firearm at a child care facility and leaving a loaded firearm in a manner that endangered a child. The charges are allegations and do not establish guilt. Evans was released from custody after her arrest, and earlier local reporting said she was expected to return to court Dec. 15.
The state’s review found other problems at Thrive Learning Center East. An Oct. 8 inspection cited the facility for additional supervision concerns and deficiencies involving required records, including vaccination documentation. In one finding reported by local news outlets, inspectors said a 14-month-old child had been left without supervision in a closed infant room. The center had opened earlier in 2026 and was operating under a provisional license.
As part of a corrective action plan, the center said employees would be trained or retrained on mandatory reporting requirements and procedures for notifying law enforcement, Social Services and the child abuse and neglect hotline. The plan also called for a zero-tolerance policy for firearms and other weapons on daycare property. The center said it would seek safety training with Richmond police.
The Virginia Department of Education said it began investigating after learning of the allegations and worked with Child Protective Services. State officials conducted a follow-up visit on Sept. 30 and said they moved through the investigative process quickly. The department said protecting children from unsecured firearms is a basic responsibility of child care providers and that it had recommended the strongest consequences available, though it did not identify the specific administrative penalty being sought.
The center remains closed as that administrative process continues, and Richmond police have said the criminal investigation is ongoing. No additional criminal charges connected to the incident had been publicly announced as of Tuesday, and state officials have not announced whether the daycare’s license will ultimately be suspended, revoked or otherwise changed.
Author note: Last updated October 20, 2026.