Mother to plead guilty after 6-year-old son shoots Virginia teacher with her gun.
Mother of 6-Year-Old Who Shot Teacher Expected to Plead Guilty
In a shocking incident that rocked the nation, a 6-year-old boy used his mother’s handgun to critically wound his teacher in a Virginia classroom. Now, seven months later, the mother, Deja Taylor, is expected to plead guilty to charges related to the attack.
Taylor, who was charged with felony child neglect and reckless storing of a firearm, is scheduled to appear at a morning plea hearing in Newport News.
The January shooting sent shockwaves through the community and sparked a $40 million lawsuit against the school system for gross negligence. This case against Taylor is one of three legal efforts seeking accountability.
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The first grader intentionally shot teacher Abby Zwerner during a lesson, leaving her with critical injuries. After the shooting, the child revealed to a reading specialist that he had obtained his mother’s gun and proudly declared, “I shot that (expletive) dead.”
Although the gun was found in the child’s backpack, it remains unclear how he gained access to it. Taylor claimed that she believed the gun was securely stored in her purse with a trigger lock, but authorities found no evidence of a trigger lock during their searches.
In a separate federal case, Taylor pleaded guilty to using marijuana while possessing a firearm, which is illegal under U.S. law.
Taylor’s attorney, James Ellenson, mentioned “mitigating circumstances,” such as Taylor’s miscarriages and postpartum depression, before the shooting. It remains unclear if Taylor will plead guilty to the same charges she was initially charged with in April.
Under Virginia law, felony child neglect carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, while the misdemeanor charge of firearm storage carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail.
In an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Taylor expressed her remorse and took responsibility for her son’s actions. She acknowledged her son’s attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the care plan that included a family member accompanying him to class every day.
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