Mother of 6-Year-Old Boy Accused of Shooting Teacher Indicted on Two Charges

On Monday, the Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office announced that Deja Taylor, the mother of a 6-year-old boy accused of shooting his teacher at a Virginia elementary school in January, has been indicted on two charges.

The grand jury returned two indictments for Taylor, one of felony child neglect and one of recklessly leaving a firearm that endangered a child. The incident occurred on January 6 at Richneck Elementary School, when Taylor’s son shot his teacher Abigail Zwerner, 25, leaving her in the hospital with gunshot wounds to her hand and chest.

James Ellenson, one of the attorneys for the family, said that Taylor is “devastated” by the charges and that she “never intended for this to happen.” He also said that Taylor is “committed to doing whatever she can to make sure that this never happens again.”

The indictment follows a “thorough investigation” from the police and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office, according to the news release. The child will not be criminally charged, Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn said last month.

Gwynn said in a statement that “every criminal case is unique in its facts, and these facts support these charges, but our investigation into the shooting continues.” He added that the charges “are not intended to be a substitute for any civil remedies that may be available to the victim or her family.”