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Woman Arrested With Gun At South Philadelphia High School Identified

By Tim Jimenez

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A 21-year-old woman went to South Philadelphia high school Thursday morning, her infant child with her, with the intention of signing up for a night class. But she was arrested after police say they found a loaded handgun in the diaper bag she was carrying.

It was 10:45 a.m. when Kelly Jones of the 2500 block of South 69th Street was going through the normal screening process at South Philadelphia High said Captain Lawrence Nodiff of South Detectives.

"It is very similar to when we are all screened at (the airport). During the imaging process of a diaper bag, the school police officer saw a firearm. The firearm's serial number had been obliterated," Nodiff said.

Nodiff says Jones claims she did not know the gun, a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, was in her pink and white diaper bag. He said the gun was loaded with nine rounds and she did not have a license to carry. She was then taken into police custody.

"I do not have any information that, in fact, she came to the school to do anything other than sign up for an evening class," Nodiff said.

However, Nodiff said Jones is not a stranger to police but he would not elaborate. He said the students and faculty were never in danger because of the screening process.

"The security measures worked well. The school police officers did their job and stopped the threat right at the front door," he said.

Jones is charged with Violation of the Uniform Firearm Act by not having a license to carry, having a weapon on school property and related offenses.

She was arraigned with bail set at $200,000.

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