In a recent development from Newport News, Virginia, a local mother received a two-year prison sentence for felony child neglect following a tragic incident where her six-year-old son shot his teacher. The sentencing occurred on a Friday in a Circuit Court session presided over by Judge Christopher Papile.
The mother, Deja Taylor, came under legal scrutiny after her son used her handgun to injure Abigail Zwerner, a first-grade teacher at Richneck Elementary School, in a shocking classroom episode on January 6th. The young boy, whose identity remains protected, managed to access the firearm from his mother’s purse, which he retrieved by climbing onto a drawer to reach the dresser top.
According to court proceedings, Taylor was initially charged in April and entered a guilty plea in August. Although she faced a potential five-year imprisonment, the actual sentence exceeded the recommendations of both the state sentencing guidelines and the plea agreement, which suggested a six-month term.
As part of the plea bargain, the prosecution agreed to dismiss a related misdemeanor charge for reckless storage of a firearm. However, the case revealed that Taylor had misled investigators about securing the gun with a trigger lock, which was never found.
This sentencing comes on the heels of Taylor’s previous 21-month federal prison term for using marijuana while in possession of a firearm. Her defense highlighted mitigating factors, including her struggles with postpartum depression and a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. In a previous court session, Taylor expressed deep remorse for the incident through a statement read by her attorney.
The teacher, Ms. Zwerner, suffered severe injuries from the shooting, including a punctured lung and broken bones in her left hand and upper chest. Despite her critical condition, she managed to escort her students to safety before collapsing in the school’s office. Following multiple surgeries and leaving her teaching profession, Ms. Zwerner is now pursuing a $40 million lawsuit against Newport News Public Schools, alleging negligence in responding to warnings about the boy’s possession of a gun.
In a disturbing revelation from search warrants, the boy reportedly confessed to a school official post-shooting, using explicit language to describe his actions and admitting to acquiring his mother’s gun the previous night.