Mother prosecuted for son taking gun to school; 1st case of its kind in Los Angeles

HIGHLAND PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In the first case of its kind in Los Angeles, a mother is facing four misdemeanor counts after her son took a gun to school.

Leah Wilcken's son snatched up a .45 caliber semi-automatic and ammunition from the family's home and took it to Will Rogers Continuation School in Van Nuys back in May.

"This was particularly disconcerting because this young man, who allegedly had the gun, had had an altercation with another student just the day before," said Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer.

Detectives said Leah Wilcken was uncooperative, and it took a search warrant to get in the house. Once inside, finding the guns was easy, officials said.

"One was found in the kitchen cabinet right next to the sink. The other ones were found in the dresser drawer, and behind a dresser," said Deputy City Attorney Greg Dorfman.

Ultimately, the LAPD seized five weapons from the family's home, including a .44 Magnum and a Smith & Wesson .38 five shot called a J-Frame. Authorities said the guns were not secured with trigger locks or stored safely as required by law.

A majority of the school shootings seen on the news have a common thread, according to safety advocates.

"Studies show that 68 percent of school shootings involve a gun brought from the home," said Margo Bennett from Women Against Gun Violence.

No one at the Wilcken's Highland Park home wanted to comment to Eyewitness News on Wednesday.

Feuer says each of the four counts Wilcken faces carries a potential one-year jail sentence and a potential fine of $1000.

Feuer says he is embarking on a campaign that involves more than a big stick approach to punishment. He says his office will partner with Women Against Gun Violence to provide families with valuable information about securing weapons.

CNS contributed to this report.