By Michael Donoghue
A Pownal mother, whose child brought a handgun to the town elementary school last week, has been ordered to appear in Vermont Superior Court in Bennington to face a charge of negligent storage of a firearm.
Crystal Mahar, 34, is due in criminal court on April 7, Bennington County Sheriff James A. Gulley Jr. said Sunday.
The citation follows the seizure of an unloaded 9-mm handgun and 67 rounds of ammunition from a backpack brought to the school on Wednesday, the sheriff said in a phone interview.
The student posted a message on social media about bringing the gun to school and two alert students saw the message and notified their teachers, Gulley said.
The student was removed from class before anybody was injured, he said. The handgun and ammunition were located and taken from his backpack, Gulley said.
Deputy Sheriff Scott Legacy II is continuing the confidential investigation into the school incident, he said. The name of the boy is being withheld because of his age.
Lt. Roscoe Harrington of the sheriff’s department issued the citation on Friday for the gun storage investigation. The case has been referred to Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage for prosecution in Vermont Family Court.
Pownal Elementary on School House Road has about 200 students in grades K-6.
The Sheriff said it is important for children to speak up if they have information about possible unsafe situations developing.
“Keeping our schools safe is a team effort,” Gulley said.
