Deja Taylor, the mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in Virginia, is scheduled to be sentenced for felony child neglect. The incident occurred nearly a year ago when her son used her 9mm handgun to critically wound teacher Abby Zwerner. Taylor faces a maximum of five years in prison, but prosecutors are recommending a six-month sentence as part of a plea deal.
Taylor’s son accessed the gun by climbing onto a drawer and retrieving it from her purse. He then concealed the firearm in his backpack and subsequently in his pocket before shooting Zwerner in front of her first-grade class. Taylor had initially claimed the gun was secured with a trigger lock, but investigators found no evidence of this.
This sentencing follows Taylor’s 21-month federal prison sentence for using marijuana while owning a gun, a violation of U.S. law. In addition to the felony neglect charge, local prosecutors dropped a misdemeanor count of recklessly storing a firearm as part of the plea deal.
Taylor has expressed remorse, acknowledging her responsibility and apologizing to Zwerner. She has also faced personal challenges, including miscarriages, postpartum depression, and a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder.
Zwerner, who was shot in the hand and chest, endured multiple surgeries and suffered significant physical and emotional trauma. No longer teaching, she is suing Newport News Public Schools for $40 million, alleging negligence in handling the warning signs before the shooting. She has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, deeply affecting her life and career.
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