Deja Taylor, whose 6-year-old son shot teacher pleads guilty
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The mom of a Virginia elementary college pupil who shot and critically injured his instructor inside her classroom pleaded responsible to felony child neglect Tuesday.
The January shooting of teacher Abby Zwerner, 25, by the primary grader, 6, shocked the world and sparked a brand new nationwide conversation about children and weapons in faculties. The kid’s mom, Deja Taylor, faces as much as six months in jail as a part of a plea deal during which prosecutors agreed to drop a misdemeanor cost of reckless storage of a firearm, court docket data present.
Taylor beforehand pleaded guilty in a related federal prosecution for possessing marijuana whereas proudly owning a handgun. She mentioned in interviews that her son has been identified with ADHD, and that the 9mm handgun was locked up. Investigators reported they discovered no proof of the gun being safely saved.
In Might, Taylor apologized to Zwerner, who’s suing the Newport News school district for $40 million. The boy is simply too younger to prosecute below Virginia regulation.
Taylor’s lawyer mentioned she was struggling following miscarriages and home abuse, and that he hoped the court docket would take these under consideration as mitigating elements, alongside together with her responsible pleas.
“Her responsible plea in each state and federal courts point out her willingness to simply accept duty for her position on this horrible tragedy,” protection lawyer James Ellenson mentioned.
Zwerner’s civil lawsuit claims leaders at Richneck Elementary College created an unsafe work surroundings and ignored a number of warnings the kid had a gun at college that day. Her lawyer, Diane Toscano, mentioned Zwerner is dedicated to discovering out how Taylor’s son acquired the gun and why college officers did not cease him.
“Because the prison probe widens, our focus stays on justice for Abby and holding the college system accountable for failing to behave on warnings the boy had a gun,” Toscano informed USA TODAY.
In interviews, Taylor acknowledged that till every week earlier than the taking pictures, the college required her son to be accompanied by a member of the family to lessons, and that he shot Zwerner the day after getting back from a suspension for breaking her mobile phone.
In response to court docket paperwork, the boy admitted to a educating aide that he shot his instructor.
“Whereas restraining him, (the kid) made statements like, ‘I shot that (expletive) lifeless.’ And ‘I did it. I acquired my mother’s gun final evening,’ ” the search warrant filed by police mentioned.
In an announcement, prosecutors mentioned they might not touch upon the responsible plea, given the continued case. Taylor is because of be sentenced Oct. 27 after a pre-sentence investigation by court docket officers into her background, household life, any prison historical past, and potential mitigating elements.
“We’re considering of Ms. Zwerner and all the scholars and college who skilled these occasions as our workplace continues its investigation,” Newport Information Commonwealth’s Legal professional Howard Gwynn mentioned. “The security of our faculties is of paramount significance, and we’ll proceed to assist the victims as they work via the consequences of this incident.”
Attorneys for the college district didn’t return a request for remark.
Contributing: The Related Press
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