D.A. Charges Mom of Teen who Allegedly Brought Loaded Gun to Valley High School

Four misdemeanor charges were filed against the mother of a 17-year-old student who allegedly brought a loaded handgun to Will Rogers High School in Van Nuys, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer announced today.

Leah Wilcken, 41, was charged with allowing a child to take a firearm off-premises, allowing the child to take the gun to school, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and allowing a child to be endangered.

She faces a maximum of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for each charge. The case is the first of its kind for his officer, Feuer said.

“Guns have no place in or around our schools,” Feuer said. “Our office will continue to take aggressive action to protect our kids, and I call on parents to prevent potentially devastating consequences by safely storing every firearm they own.”

Wilcken’s son allegedly took a fully loaded .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a seven-round magazine to Will Rogers High School on May 13. School police found the gun and ammunition in the student’s backpack.

During the investigation, Wilcken refused to help officers determine if her son had brought one of her guns with him to school, according to the City Attorney’s Office.

LAPD officers searched Wilcken’s home the next day and found a shotgun and four more handguns that were not locked up nor properly stored, officials said. One of the weapons was in a kitchen cabinet under the sink, authorities said.

--City News Service

PHOTO Patch file photo.

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