In a Virginia courtroom, a former assistant principal stands trial for felony child neglect, accused of disregarding alerts that a 6-year-old student was carrying a loaded firearm. This alarming incident culminated in the young student shooting his teacher in 2023.
The trial of Ebony Parker, who once served as assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School, commenced with jury selection on Monday in Newport News. Parker has entered a plea of not guilty to the eight felony charges of child neglect connected to the shooting of first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, according to reports from The Associated Press.
The prosecution argues that Parker was warned by multiple school staff members about the possibility of the student possessing a gun but allegedly failed to intervene before the tragic event unfolded, as reported by the news outlet.
Parker’s legal team contends that she is being unjustly held responsible for systemic issues that existed before the shooting occurred.
In the courtroom, former assistant principal Ebony Parker was observed during the proceedings of Abby Zwerner’s lawsuit in Newport News, Virginia, on October 28, 2025. The photograph was captured by Stephen M. Katz of The Virginian-Pilot.
The prosecution has charged Parker with one count for each of the eight bullets in the gun. Should she be found guilty, Parker faces a potential sentence of up to five years for each count, as noted by the Associated Press.
The shooting happened on Jan. 6, 2023, when authorities said the 6-year-old student shot Zwerner while she was teaching.
She was hospitalized for nearly two weeks and underwent six surgeries after the bullet narrowly missed her heart. She still has limited use of her left hand, according to the AP.
Former Richneck Elementary School teacher Abby Zwerner looks back in the courtroom during her civil lawsuit trial in Newport News, Virginia, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot)
In November 2025, a jury awarded Zwerner $10 million in a civil lawsuit against Parker, alleging the former administrator dismissed concerns that the student may have brought a gun to school.
In a statement to Fox News Digital at the time, Zwerner’s legal team said the verdict marked a “major step forward in Abby’s long road of healing.”
During the earlier civil trial, Parker’s attorneys argued the shooting was “unforeseeable” and maintained she did not have a legal responsibility to protect Zwerner from the attack.
Students return to Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot)
Zwerner is expected to testify in the criminal trial, AP reported.
Authorities said the child got the gun from his mother’s purse after climbing onto a dresser. The student’s mother was previously sentenced to nearly four years in prison.
