Woman blames 6-year-old after gun found hidden outside Disney, deputies say

Georgia woman captured on video hiding purse with gun in plants, report shows

FILE - In this March 16, 2020, file photo, the entrance to the parking lot at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is closed in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Squeezed by limits on attendance at its theme parks and other restrictions due to the pandemic, The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, it planned to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division in California and Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File) (John Raoux, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

WALT DISNEY WORLD, Fla. – A Georgia woman accused of attempting to hide a loaded firearm in some plants outside a Disney World theme park told deputies her 6-year-old was actually the one who put it there, however, video and witness statements showed otherwise.

The Oct. 8 incident happened when an AdventHealth worker checking temperatures before guests entered Magic Kingdom at the ticket and transportation center notified security after seeing a woman take something from a stroller and place it behind some plants near the tents before the security checkpoint. The woman then proceeded through the metal detector into the park, according to the witness.

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Security alerted an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy who looked inside the purse near the planter and immediately recognized the butt of a firearm. At that point, the woman, identified as Marcia Temple, approached the deputy, and said, “Ma’am, that’s mine," according to the arrest report.

When the deputy asked why Temple had a firearm at Disney, she told the deputy: “I had told my son to hold it for me and stand right here while I go get my brother. He put it down, and messed with the plants and I put them back, but I didn’t know he put it down and I didn’t know he left it over here.”

Temple placing the purse in the plants was captured on Disney World security cameras, according to the report.

When asked why she would give a gun to her 6-year-old, Temple said she asked him to hold it so she get her brother and take it back to the car.

Deputies said the firearm was a loaded 9mm. The firearm has 10 bullets, including one in the chamber, according to the report. Temple does not have a concealed weapons permit for Florida or Georgia, according to the report.

Temple was trespassed from Walt Disney World Property property and taken to the Orange County Jail.

Temple was charged with carrying a concealed firearm and posted $5,000 bail.


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