Mother of 6-Year-Old Shooter Gets 2-Year State Prison Sentence for Teacher Attack

Child abuse cost the Virginia mother of a 6-year-old kid who shot his teacher two years in prison.

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Virginia Mother of 6-Year-Old School Shooter Sentenced to Two Years for Child Abuse

Mother Deja Taylor pleaded guilty to state felony child maltreatment. The student purposefully shot and wounded his first-grade teacher, Abby Zwerner, at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News in January.

Taylor was sentenced to 21 months in November for marijuana use while armed by the federal government. Taylor bought the shooting gun in July 2022, and federal prosecutors noted improper storage.

Taylor received a five-year sentence with three years suspended in the state case. After release, she will serve two years of probation with substance addiction, parenting, and mental health treatment. Her 21-month federal sentence will be followed by this state sentence. Domestic abuse, substance misuse, and mental illness were cited by Taylor’s attorney to request a lighter sentence.

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Afterschool Shooting Raises Safety and Accountability Questions: Controversial Sentencing and Ongoing Impact

Abby Zwerner, the injured teacher, testified about the shooting’s ongoing effects at the federal sentencing court. She had five operations and physical therapy to recover hand motion, highlighting physical and psychological scars. Zwerner sued the school district for $40 million for failing to protect instructors and children. A judge denied the school board’s worker’s compensation claim dismissal, allowing the litigation to proceed.

Taylor’s five-year sentence with three years suspended, probation, and mandatory treatments was controversial. Taylor’s counsel called the punishment “excessive” and “harsh,” underlining his remorselessness. The defense cited system breakdowns as mitigating factors. Zwerner’s counsel focuses on the school district’s response, despite Taylor’s legal implications.

The incident affected the instructor and school community, sparking legal action and questions about school safety and accountability.

READ ALSO: Mom of 6-year-old who shot his teacher sentenced to 2 years in prison in state case