5-Year-Old Answers Front Door with Loaded Gun to Police, Has to Be Disarmed by Authorities

A 5-year-old child had to be disarmed by police after answering the front door holding a loaded handgun in Michigan. 

The child opened the front door carrying the armed weapon to a cadet who came to serve a subpoena at the property on Inn Road on Saturday, Jan. 25, the Battle Creek Police Department stated in a news release.

“The cadet called for a road patrol officer after the child initially answered the door with a large kitchen knife,” police said, per the release. “When the cadet asked the child to have an adult come to the door, the child returned with the loaded handgun, which the cadet removed.”

Road patrol officers arrived and found two men and a woman inside the residence. They were detained and taken into custody for questioning. 

According to the release, five children, aged 6 months to 8 years old, were also located inside the home. They were placed under Child Protective Services over the incident and “deplorable condition” of the property. 

One child was transported to Bronson Battle Creek Hospital and then later a hospital in Kalamazoo over health concerns, according to authorities.  

“Officials are pursuing weapon charges and neglect charges through the Calhoun County Prosecutor’s Office,” police said. 

Battle Creek Police confirmed that a man was arrested at the same residence for alleged domestic violence-related crimes on Jan. 12, local media outlet News 8 reported.

The father of the woman taken into custody told the outlet his daughter was living with the father of one of her children and his friend at the home. She reportedly previously called the police about allegedly being beaten at the home, according to her father,

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The woman’s father told News 8, “She was a single mother with five kids trying to do the best that she can after what happened with her baby’s daddy throwing all of the kids’ stuff out and everything and having to scrape through the snow to find them.”

“I love my daughter, I love my grandkids, I want to see everyone back together as a family, that’s all,” he continued, with News 8 reporting that he is focusing on gaining custody of his grandchildren.