Share this @internewscast.com

A Virginia mother held liable for her 6-year-old son’s shooting of his elementary school teacher this year was handed a two-year sentence Friday on a state charge of felony child neglect.

Deja Taylor, 26, could have faced as many as five years in prison, but was given a shorter sentence, The Associated Press reported. A plea deal with prosecutors led them to drop a misdemeanor charge of reckless storage of a firearm; they had suggested as little as six months in prison, but the judge did not have to follow that.

Taylor has remained behind bars after she pleaded guilty in June to a charge of using marijuana while owning a gun, which is illegal under federal law, and was sentenced last month to 21 months in prison.

Friday’s hearing winds down one aspect of the case, which stunned the city of Newport News, drew national attention to school safety and gun violence, and prompted the ouster of the schools superintendent and an assistant principal.

Authorities say first-grade teacher Abigail Zwerner was intentionally shot on Jan. 6 by one of her students at Richneck Elementary School, where she escorted her panicked class to safety. A bullet ripped through Zwerner’s left hand, rupturing bones before it lodged in her upper chest, leaving behind fragments. Three months after the classroom shooting, she filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school district claiming administators failed to listen to multiple warnings from staff and students that the child had a handgun.

More on Virginia teacher shooting

On the morning of the shooting, Taylor believed the gun was in her purse with the trigger lock installed and left on top of her bedroom dresser, according to a probable cause statement. She added that the key for the lock is kept under her bedroom mattress.

Marijuana was found during a court-ordered search of the home in the wake of the shooting, federal prosecutors said.

“A search of Taylor’s phone revealed numerous text messages illustrating the pervasive scope of Taylor’s marijuana use,” according to prosecutors, who also searched Taylor’s mother’s home. Meanwhile, “a lockbox was not found in either of the residences, nor was a trigger lock or key to a trigger lock ever found.”

As part of a care plan at the school, the boy’s parents were supposed to be with him daily, but were absent on the day of the shooting, officials said.

The child’s family has said that he has an “acute disability” and that he had received the “treatment he needs” under a court-ordered temporary detention at a medical facility.

In a sentencing memo on the federal drug charge, prosecutors offered new details in the family’s home life, including that the boy had twice stolen car keys from Taylor’s purse, even crashing it on one occassion. In addition, Taylor apparently fired her gun about a month before the shooting at Richneck in an agurment over whether her son’s father was cheating with another woman, according to text messages obtained by prosecutors.

James Ellenson, a lawyer for the family, has said the boy has been under the care of a great-grandfather, Calvin Taylor.

In a letter in support of Deja Taylor ahead of her sentencing in federal court, Calvin Taylor wrote that she is undergoing therapy and substance abuse counseling and continues to “feel horribly” with “great remorse.”

“Deja is and was a victim of abuse and domestic violence,” Calvin Taylor wrote. “No matter what the results of these circumstances are, Deja has shown resilience and the willpower to build a future for not only herself, but her son as well.”

The Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said in March that her son, now 7, would not face charges given that a child that young wouldn’t have the competency to understand the legal system or adequately assist an attorney.

But aside from charges against Taylor, Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn impaneled a special grand jury to determine if additional people could be held criminally responsible for the shooting. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation’s status.

Zwerner, 26, was expected to attend Friday’s sentencing, her attorney’s law firm said.

She has said she suffers from anxiety and depression as a result of the shooting, and no longer wants to teach.

“The kindness of people close to me, and from those in far places I’ve never met, is proof that there is good in the world, and I will cling to that idea,” Zwerner said at Taylor’s sentencing last month in federal court. “Still, sadly, my life will never be close to the same again.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Mom of NBC’s Savannah Guthrie reported missing in Arizona: ‘Very concerning’

Urgent Search Underway for NBC’s Savannah Guthrie’s Missing Mother in Arizona

Late Sunday, Arizona authorities announced an active search for the mother of…
Former Chicago Police Department chief of detectives calls Mayor Brandon Johnson order on feds political theater

Former Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Criticizes Mayor Johnson’s Federal Directive as Political Theater

This past weekend, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took a significant step by…
ICE arrests over 650 illegal aliens across West Virginia with state, local police backing

ICE, in collaboration with state and local authorities, detains over 650 undocumented immigrants in West Virginia operation

In a sweeping two-week initiative across West Virginia, Immigration and Customs Enforcement…
Palmdale Street shooting on Jacksonville's Northwest side leaves man dead

Driver Collides with Light Pole Following Shooting Incident in Lackawanna, Reports JSO

At the time of this report, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has confirmed…
Tourist trampled to death by elephant in Thai national park

Elephant Encounter Turns Tragic for Tourist in Thai National Park

A tragic incident at a national park in Thailand has claimed the…
Gaza’s Rafah border crossing partially reopens under ceasefire deal

Rafah Border in Gaza Begins Limited Reopening Amid Ceasefire Agreement

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has partially reopened, marking…
Massachusetts man using blowtorch on roof to melt ice sets home on fire

Massachusetts Home Catches Fire After Resident Uses Blowtorch to Clear Ice

In an unexpected turn of events, a Massachusetts resident inadvertently set his…
College student’s death sparks hazing probe as 3 fraternity members are arrested

Tragic College Hazing Incident Leads to Arrest of 3 Fraternity Members Amid Intensified Investigation

Tragedy struck an Arizona community as an 18-year-old student from Northern Arizona…
Curlers balance full-time jobs with Olympics dreams

Curlers Juggle Full-Time Careers While Pursuing Olympic Aspirations

Olympic athletes often face financial challenges, and their stories shed light on…
Arizona man accused of human smuggling is a repeat offender who once 'threw rocks' at Army helicopter: docs

Arizona Repeat Offender Faces New Human Smuggling Charges After Past Helicopter Assault

The man suspected of orchestrating an illegal immigration operation and shot by…
Groundhog Day puts Punxsutawney Phil's forecast about winter's length in the spotlight

Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Winter’s Duration: Groundhog Day Tradition Captivates Millions

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — As the U.S. grapples with a chilly winter, anticipation…
Hundreds of anti-ICE protesters shut down streets in Portland

Portland Streets Paralyzed: Massive Anti-ICE Demonstrations Ignite Citywide Disruption

In a significant demonstration against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), hundreds…