Baby carriages apparently aren't just for babies anymore. They can also be used to conceal loaded handguns.
That's where police in Manchester, N.H., found a 9mm handgun when they stopped parents Jonathan Bijoel and Cassandra Gagnon Monday night during a walk with their 1-year-old daughter.
The officers were investigating a report of an assault made by two men who claimed someone they knew only as "John" demanded money and hit one of them in the face with a gun when they refused, the Manchester Union-Leader reported.
The police tracked down the suspect, who turned out to be Bijoel, 28, and approached him while he was walking his daughter with Gagnon, 23, according to WBZ-TV.
When the police approached, she took control of the carriage and attempted to walk away but the trio was ultimately detained without incident, Manchester police told the station.
"Further investigation lead to the recovery of a loaded 9mm handgun from the storage area of the carriage located under the child's seat," Manchester police Lt. Maureen Tessier told MyFoxBoston. "The gun was later determined to have been stolen."
Bijoel is accused of armed robbery with a stolen handgun with bail set at $65,000 cash-only. In addition, a probable cause hearing is set for Aug. 1 to explore possible felony charges of armed robbery, theft by unauthorized taking of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm, the Union-Leader reported.
Bijoel told Judge Gregory Michael in court that Gagnon didn't know about the gun or the robbery and added, “I'm not looking to cause any problems.”
In addition to these charges, Bijoel was previously indicted on a heroin possession charge by the Hillsborough County North Grand Jury and is scheduled for trial in Circuit Court Sept. 4 on misdemeanor charges, including endangering the welfare of a child.
Gagnon is charged with felony falsification of evidence and is due in court on Aug. 1 for a probable cause hearing. A police prosecutor requested $7,500 cash/surety bail for Gagnon, saying she has, among other things, a trial scheduled Oct. 10 in Manchester on charges of operating after suspension and disobeying a police officer.
However, Gagnon told the judge she has two children and is supposed to start a job Wednesday. The judge set bail at $1,500 cash/surety.
