Mom of 6-year-old Who Shot Virginia Teacher Charged With Child Neglect
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Monday, the mother of a 6-year-old who shot a Virginia school teacher earlier this year was charged with child neglect.
Key Details: The indictment, which came from a Virginia grand jury after a police investigation, charged Deja Taylor with a misdemeanor charge for reckless storage of a loaded firearm, and for felony child neglect. Abby Zwerner, a 25-year-old teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, was shot in the chest and hand and spent about two weeks in the hospital recovering from surgeries. Her lawyers have filed a $40 million dollar lawsuit against Newport News school officials.
Key Quote: "The safety and security of Newport News students is of utmost importance. The Special Grand Jury will investigate to determine whether additional charges against additional persons are justified by the facts and the law," the town's Commonwealth Attorney Howard Gwynn said.
For Context: The school shooting unleashed criticism about school administrators and safety precautions at the school; the district's superintendent was fired, and the assistant principal resigned. Meanwhile, many parents and teachers were left wondering how a 6-year-old could access a gun and shoot a teacher.
How the Media Covered it: Sources across the political spectrum covered the indictment, will all sides noting the lawsuit filed by the teacher's lawyers.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
The mom of the 6-year-old who shot his teacher is being charged with child neglect
The mother of a 6-year-old who shot his teacher in January in Virginia has been charged with felony child neglect, the Virginia Commonwealth Attorney said Monday.
Following an investigation by the Newport News Police Department, Deja Taylor has also been charged with a misdemeanor for recklessly leaving a loaded firearm around a child.
In January, Abby Zwerner, a 25-year-old teacher at Richneck Elementary School, was shot in the hand and chest by one of her students. She spent about two weeks in the hospital and had four surgeries after the shooting....
From the Right
Mother of six-year-old who shot and injured Virginia elementary school teacher in classroom is charged with child neglect
A grand jury in Virginia has indicted the mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher on charges of child neglect and failing to secure her handgun in the family's home, a prosecutor said Monday.
A grand jury sitting in Newport News charged the boy's 25-year-old mother with felony child neglect and a misdemeanor charge of endangering a child by reckless storage of a firearm, Commonwealth's Attorney Howard Gwynn said in a news release.
The Associated Press isn't naming the mother to shield the identity of her son.
Top...
From the Center
Mother of 6-year-old Virginia student who shot teacher charged with neglect
A Virginia grand jury has indicted the mother of the 6-year-old who shot his first-grade teacher earlier this year.
Teacher Abby Zwerner was shot in the hand and chest in January at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News as she sat at a reading table in her classroom. The 25-year-old teacher spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and required four surgeries.
The shooting sent shock waves through the military shipbuilding community and the country, with many wondering how a child so young could access a gun and shoot his teacher.
On Monday, the...
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