A teacher at a Canton Township day care grabbed a loaded gun from a toddler Monday, Sept. 28, after the child pulled the holstered weapon from a backpack.

Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy said officers responded to Children's World Early Learning Center at 7437 Sheldon Road and seized the firearm. No one was injured.

One of the toddler's parents was arrested, Bialy said. Police have not released that parent's name because the individual had not yet been arraigned as of Tuesday, Sept. 29. The arrested parent is not the officer.

The toddler's other parent is a police officer employed by a neighboring jurisdiction, Bialy said. That department is conducting its own internal investigation. Police have not identified the department, and it has not been confirmed whether the firearm belongs to the officer, WXYZ reported.

"The protocols that they had in place, the fact that they had an instructor in the room that was able to safely remove the firearm from this toddler, I do believe kept everybody safe and avoided a tragedy," Bialy told ClickOnDetroit.

Investigators are still trying to determine how the child ended up with the gun, the Detroit Free Press reported. The Canton Police Department's Detective Bureau is handling the case and will forward it to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office for review.

A message the day care sent to families said the firearm was holstered inside the child's backpack. When the toddler removed it, a teacher stepped in and secured the weapon. Staff then called police.

The center told families it disenrolled the family involved and has added new safety measures, including searching bags at drop-off.

Amy Paggeot, a parent with children at the center, told WXYZ no child there is older than 5, calling the notification "terrifying." Byron Foxworth, who has two children enrolled, said the officer-parent should have known better and kept the weapon secured and out of a child's reach.

Bialy pointed to Michigan's firearm storage law, which took effect Feb. 13, 2024. The law requires adults to store firearms in a locked box or container, or keep them unloaded and locked, when they know or should know a minor is present. If a minor obtains an unsecured firearm and exhibits it recklessly, the responsible adult faces up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. Penalties escalate to a felony, up to 15 years in prison, if a minor fires the weapon and someone is killed.

The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Canton Police Department.