Burlington (Vt.) Free Press

BURLINGTON, Vt. — A loaded handgun was found inside a diaper bag left at a day care center this week by a 17-month-old girl who brought it to the attention of staff workers, police say.

The gun belonged to the child's grandmother, who later told a state Department for Children and Families case worker that she had mistakenly put the weapon in the diaper bag as she left home Wednesday to transport the girl to Helping Hands Child Care in Beebe Plains, the Vermont State Police said in a statement Thursday.

"She placed the handgun in the bag as she was leaving the house, while she was in a hurry, and then forgot to take the gun out of the bag upon arriving at the day care," the statement said.

The gun was in a holster and had a safety lock strap attached to the trigger guard to prevent it from being fired, the statement said.

Police said they learned about the gun Thursday via an anonymous tip and contacted the day care center's owner, Ivy Crowe.

Police said Crowe alerted the parents of children enrolled at the center and Department for Children and Families to tell them about the incident. Crowe also implemented a new policy for the center that forbids leaving diaper bags or backpacks at the center, police said.

"People are reminded to practice gun safety and ensure they have a locking device. The Vermont State Police also remind our citizens to keep guns in a secure location, away from children," the police statement said.

The grandmother will not face any criminal charges since no one was injured and because of what police said was the "accidental nature" of the incident.