PUTNAM COUNTY
A student took a handgun to Putnam County Middle School, but upon arrival, she immediately reported it to her teacher, and authorities were called.
The girl discovered the small .22 Derringer in her backpack on her way to school Wednesday, Jan. 25, and as soon as she got off the bus at school, she went to her teacher and gave it to her teacher, saying she didn’t know why it was in her book bag.
“The main thing I want to emphasize is that no child brought a gun to school to harm anybody or to cause any problems,” Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said, adding “the situation was immediately taken care of.”
The school promptly notified Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and upon investigation, it was discovered the student’s grandfather had placed the Derringer inside the girl’s shoe, which was inside her bookbag. The grandfather said he placed it in there to hide it from some other children and ended up leaving it there.
Because the student followed proper protocol, no charges were filed against her, but her grandparents were both taken into custody, Sills said.
Malik Kenyattos White, 50, of Pine Knoll Lane, Eatonton, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and making false statements; and Deshena Graham White, 50, was taken on outstanding warrants from Thomas County, Georgia, and Bay County, Florida.