Fairfield: 11 Year Old Child Found at Public Library with a Handgun

On September 15, 2014 at approximately 4:54 PM Fairfield Police received a call from a concerned parent. The parent reported that their child had been shown a handgun while at the public library located in the Cordelia area just moments earlier. The children involved were reported to be just 11 years of age. Police Officers were immediately sent to the library.

Once officers arrived at the library they quickly determined where the child with the possible handgun was last seen. The officers quickly approached the child and safely separated the child from their backpack where the handgun was reportedly being kept. Officers escorted the child outside and examined the contents of the backpack confirming that a small caliber handgun was in the backpack and was not loaded.

The child was questioned regarding the handgun and how they came into possession of the handgun. The child is a special needs student and had taken the handgun from a relative’s house in the bay area over the weekend without an adult’s knowledge. The child had been showing the handgun to friends and carrying it in their backpack. The mother soon arrived and was questioned by officers. It was determined that a second special needs sibling lives with the 11 year old and had joined the 11 year old in firing the handgun the night before in the yard of their residence.

Based on statements made by the children involved as well as the parent that arrived on scene officers determined that a welfare check of the home was necessary to ensure a safe environment for the children to return to. Officers went to the family home only to find deplorable living conditions that were unsafe for children or adults. Solano County Child Protective Services and Solano County Adult Protective Services were both notified of the conditions and earlier incident. The children were taken from the home by Child Welfare and Adult Protective Services assisted in placing the 92 year old grandmother with family from the bay area.

The mother, Cordetta Spellsruta age 55 years, was subsequently arrested on charges of felony child endangerment and elder abuse. Cordetta was booked into Solano County Jail.