Police happened to be in the 400 block of East Clearfield Street when they spotted the child alone in a car.
"A total disregard for the child's safety to leave a child alone in a car around 8:30 at night, but the fact that there was a loaded gun within inches from the child," said Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Small described the gun as a 44 caliber handgun with an 8-inch barrel, which was on the floor of the car while the child sat in the front driver's seat.
The mother was located a short time later and now faces child endangerment charges.
Small says it was a miracle that the child didn't get a hold of the gun to cause harm to himself or someone else.
