Teacher charged after son, 11, brought loaded gun to school

A Pennsylvania primary school teacher whose 11-year-old son twice brought a loaded handgun to school has been charged with child endangerment.

Linnea Holdren, 43, and her son were suspended from Hunlock Creek Elementary School in Shickshinny. The boy faces an expulsion hearing later this month.

According to a police statement, Holdren told officers who offered to give her a gun lock: “I can’t lock up his guns. They belong to him, and he has a right to use them whenever he wants to use them.”

The boy showed the loaded gun to other children during recess on November 29, authorities said. Police were called after another pupil reported the gun.

The boy also brought the gun to school on November 23 and showed another boy how to load it in a bathroom, police said.

Police believe Holdren prompted her son, during a police interview at the school, to falsely state that he had been target shooting before school and forgot he had the gun with him.

Holdren, who appeared in court on Wednesday, could lose her teacher’s licence if convicted.

She could not be located for comment yesterday.