Mother of 6-year-old who shot teacher in Virginia arrested

The mother of the six-year-old student who shot his first-grade teacher earlier this year turned herself in and was arrested on Thursday, according to police.

“Ms. Deja Taylor turned herself in at the Newport News City Jail for outstanding warrants in reference to the January 6, 2023 shooting that occurred at Richneck Elementary,” the Newport News Police Department announced.

Taylor, 25, was indicted by a grand jury this week and charged with felony child neglect and misdemeanor “recklessly leaving a loaded firearm to endanger a child,” police said.

Richneck Elementary School teacher Abby Zwerner was shot in the head and chest by the student inside her classroom, and sustained life-threatening injuries. 

Zwerner later filed a lawsuit against the Newport News School Board and the school’s administrators for what her legal team called gross negligence and reckless disregard. She’s seeking $40 million in compensatory damages.

She said in an interview earlier this month that while she has faced challenges in her recovery and “some days are better than others,” she is trying to “stay positive.”

“For going through what I’ve gone through, I try to stay positive,” she said. “You know, try to have a positive outlook on what’s happened and where my future’s heading.” 

Shortly after the shooting, school officials revealed that Richneck Elementary administrators had suspected the child may have had a weapon before the shooting occurred and searched his backpack, though nothing turned up, according to the Associated Press.

The incident has sparked renewed debate about gun safety and children’s potential access to the deadly weapons.