Woman charged after gun found in diaper bag at Craven County childcare facility

Oct 30, 2024

NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) — A woman has been charged after law enforcement officers with the River Bend Police Department responded Monday, Oct. 28, 2024 to reports of a gun being found in a diaper bag at Excel Creative Early Learning on Pirates Road.

The gun was secured by law enforcement and no one was injured during the incident. The River Bend PD is investigating it and working with the Department of Social Services and District Attorney’s Office.

Reanna Lee, 37, of Aurora, was charged with misdemeanor carrying a concealed gun.

WNCT’s Nai Remy received a statement from the childcare facility:

“A personal firearm was discovered in a diaper bag by staff at Excel Creative Learning Center on Monday morning. The bag was brought by a parent to the center as part of routine child drop-off procedures. The bag was left on top of a counter and thereby out-of-reach to children in the classroom. Within one hour of the child’s arrival, a teacher discovered the firearm when searching the bag for needed supplies. While the finding appeared to be unintentional and non-threatening, the incident was immediately reported to local police who stepped in to manage the situation quickly. The incident is currently under investigation by River Bend Police who will provide ongoing updates.”“The safety and security of children and staff is the highest priority and concern for Excel Creative Learning Center. Excel regularly evaluates safety procedures to meet the evolving needs of regulatory and technological advancement. Additionally, Excel strictly upholds its policies to foster a safe community of families and staff, which can include parting ways with individuals where trust of judgment has been breached.”

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.