Gun found at Elmbrook Church child care center

A gun was found at the Elmbrook Church Child Enrichment Center last week, prompting a town of Brookfield police investigation.

Gun found at church

What we know:

According to emails sent to parents, which FOX6 News obtained, child care center leaders said someone found an "unattended backpack" in the building on Friday, Jan. 31. When the security team examined it, a gun was found inside. The gun was determined to belong to an employee of the child care center. 

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

In a follow-up email, leaders said the employee was "extremely remorseful" and "immediately resigned." Leaders called it a "lapse of judgment." The child care director called it "a situation that we have never had to deal with in our long history."

Police said no one was hurt when the gun was on the Elmbrook Church property.

Elmbrook Church

What they're saying:

In a written statement, a town of Brookfield detective said a parent first brought the incident to their attention on Sunday night. Police went to the church on Monday to find out what happened.

Elmbrook also told parents the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, as well as the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, were aware of the incident. FOX6 News reached out to both agencies. Both said they had no record of the incident.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

A spokesperson for the sheriff's department added that it's the Town of Brookfield Police Department's case. In a statement a DCF spokesperson said: "The Department of Children and Families hasn't received a self-report from the provider or a complaint about the alleged incident you referenced."

Elmbrook Church declined to speak to FOX6 on camera.

Related

Gun found in 2014

Dig deeper:

A loaded gun was found in an Elmbrook Church bathroom in 2014. At the time, police said first through fifth grade students would have had access to that area. 

It’s not clear if that gun was found in the same area of the building as the child enrichment center.

The Source: Information in this report is from emails FOX6 News obtained, as well as interviews, statements and prior coverage. 

Crime and Public SafetyBrookfieldNews