US: Mother of 6-year-old boy who shot teacher pleads guilty to child neglect

The mother of a six-year-old boy, who shot his teacher at the Richneck Elementary School in Virginia, United Statesearlier this year, has pleaded guilty to felony child neglect on state chargeson Tuesday (August 15), according to American media reports. This was part of a deal with prosecutors to resolve a state case related to the incident.

What is the plea deal?

Deja Taylor, a 26-year-old mother who owned a gun that her son used to shoot his first-grade teacher, Abigail Zwerner, has pleaded guilty to a charge of felony child neglect, as a part of her plea deal. In line with this, she had admitted that the weapon was stored in such a way that the boy could access it.

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While the charge carries a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison, due to her plea agreement, the prosecutors said they will not seek higher than six months. However, Judge Chris Papile has said that he reserves the right to sentence outside that recommendation at her sentencing, which is scheduled for October 27.

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Taylor’s attorney had previously said that they were not sure how the boy was able to get hold of the gun because it was stored with a trigger lock on the top shelf of a bedroom closet.

However, assistant Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney, on Tuesday said that the boy had taken the gun from his mother’s purse, which was on top of a dresser. The weapon was not secured with a trigger lock, according to the prosecutors.

“I stole it because I needed to shoot my teacher,” the prosecutor said the boy told investigators. However, Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn has said that the six-year-old will not be criminally charged.

About the incident

The incident occurred on January 6, earlier this year when the six-year-old took a gun to school in his backpack in the morning before pulling it out at the end of the day and firing it at his teacher, said the police.

ALSO READ |Who is Abigail Zwerner? Virginia teacher shot by her six-year-old student- Know what happened next

Last week, unsealed court documents also showed that the boy also boasted about the incident. Amy Kovac, a reading specialist at Richneck, speaking about the incident, during an interview, said that the six-year-old looked proud, and she was stunned by what he said.

“I did it.” Kovac said the boy told her, adding “I shot the b**** dead.”

The victim teacher,Zwerner, fortunately survived after being shot in the hand and upper chest. She had to undergo four surgeries and spent two weeks in the hospital.

ALSO READ |US: 6-year-old kid who shot his teacher in Virginia boasted about the incident

She has since filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school for gross negligence after accusing them of ignoring warning signs. The lawsuit, which was filed back in April, argues the defendants were aware of the child’s aggressive behaviour.

(With inputs from agencies)

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