The incident took place at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, where Deja Taylor’s son used her gun to shoot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, causing injuries to her hand and chest.
Deja Taylor, the mother of the 6-year-old Virginia boy who shot his first-grade teacher in January, has entered a guilty plea to a charge of felony child neglect
During the court proceedings on Tuesday, authorities stated that the young child had admitted to taking the gun from his mother Deja Taylor’s purse, saying, “My mom had that gun.”
Initial reports indicated that Deja Taylor had stored the gun on a high shelf in her bedroom closet with a trigger lock. However, it was revealed upon investigation that no trigger lock or key was found in Deja Taylor’s residence. Prosecutors asserted that the child accessed the firearm by standing on a dresser drawer and bringing it to school in his backpack.
The case involves federal gun charges to which Deja Taylor previously pleaded guilty as part of a separate plea deal
For the felony child neglect charge, the maximum sentence could be five years in prison, yet prosecutors have agreed to adhere to sentencing guidelines of six months.
Taylor’s defense attorney, James Ellenson, stated that Deja Taylor has no prior criminal record and has been cooperative with authorities. The child, who is now under the care of his great-grandfather, will not face criminal charges due to his extreme emotional issues. Deja Taylor’s sentencing for the state charge is set for October 27.
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