Mom of Virginia 6-year-old who shot teacher sentenced to 21 months in federal case

The mom of the 6-year-old boy accused of taking pictures his first grade teacher throughout magnificence in Newport News, Virginia, in January was once sentenced on Wednesday to 21 months in jail on federal fees.

Deja Taylor was once charged with the use of marijuana whilst in ownership of a firearm and creating a false commentary about her drug use throughout the acquisition of the firearm, each felonies, in the wake of the January taking pictures at Richneck Elementary School.

She pleaded responsible to the costs in June.

Federal prosecutors had requested for a 21-month sentence. She confronted a most penalty of 25 years in jail.

Police say the 6-year-old pupil introduced a gun into his school room and deliberately shot and wounded his teacher, Abby Zwerner, on Jan. 6. Zwerner sustained a gunshot wound thru her hand and into her chest.

Federal prosecutors stated the firearm used in the taking pictures was once bought by means of Taylor in July 2022. ATF brokers by no means discovered a lockbox, a cause lock, or a key for the gun, prosecutors stated.

Zwerner testified throughout the sentencing listening to at the final have an effect on of the taking pictures.

“Not only do I bear physical scars from the shooting that will remain with me forever, I contend daily with deep, psychological scars that plague me during most waking moments and invade my dreams,” she stated.

She stated she has gone through 5 surgical procedures and common extensive bodily treatment to repair movement in her hand.

“This permanent damage should never have been allowed to happen to me and would not have happened if not for the defendant’s actions or lack thereof,” she stated.

In the weeks earlier than the study room taking pictures, Taylor’s firearm was once additionally concerned in a separate taking pictures, prosecutors stated. An unreturned U-Haul truck rented by means of Taylor was once discovered with the passenger rear window damaged, and textual content messages between Taylor and her son’s father printed she shot at her son’s father after seeing his female friend, prosecutors stated. No one was once injured and police weren’t known as, prosecutors stated.

“Not once, but twice someone nearly lost their lives because of Taylor’s offenses of conviction,” prosecutors stated in court docket filings.

Prosecutors additionally stated in the filings that Taylor was once a “marijuana abuser, whose chronic, persistent and, indeed, life-affecting abuse extends this case far beyond any occasional and/or recreational use.”

It isn’t felony to possess marijuana whilst possessing a gun, in accordance to federal regulations.

Taylor’s lawyer stated in a commentary to ABC News that the defendant is “extremely remorseful and contrite and takes full responsibility for her actions.”

“At no time did she intend for any of these consequences to occur, especially the tragic shooting of the wonderful teacher at the elementary school,” the lawyer, Gene Rossi, stated. “We are hopeful that when she serves her sentence, and when she gets out, she gets the absolutely needed treatment for her addiction, her disease and the challenges she has in her life. I am confident that she is going to have a wonderful rebound in the near future.”

Taylor was once additionally indicted on state fees in reference to the taking pictures. She pleaded responsible to kid forget in August and has but to be sentenced. A misdemeanor fee of endangering a kid by means of reckless garage of a firearm was once dropped.

Zwerner filed a $40 million lawsuit in opposition to her faculty district, accusing them of negligence. The faculty board’s attorneys sought to brush aside her declare, arguing her accidents are lined beneath the state’s employee’s reimbursement legislation. Earlier this month, a pass judgement on dominated the lawsuit can continue.