By Jasper Ward
(Reuters) – A Virginia grand jury indicted on Monday the mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot an elementary school teacher in Newport News in January on one felony child neglect and one firearms charge.
On January 6, teacher Abigail Zwerner, 25, was shot by a first grader in her classroom at Richneck Elementary School after school officials received warnings that the boy had a weapon at school. .
The student’s mother, Deja Taylor, was charged with felony child neglect and misdemeanor reckless leaving a loaded firearm to endanger a child, Newport News, Va., prosecutor Howard Gwynn said in a statement.
“Each criminal case is unique in its facts, and these facts support these charges, but our investigation into the shooting continues,” Gwynn said.
The grand jury would continue to investigate the case and consider whether additional charges were warranted, he added.
While shootings by a young child in a classroom are extremely rare, school shootings occur with alarming frequency in the US, including last month’s deadly attack on a small private Christian school in Nashville, where a former student killed three nine-year-olds. children and three adults.
In Newport News, Zwerner last week filed a $40 million lawsuit against school administrators, alleging they ignored warnings from staff and students that the boy had a weapon.
School officials have confirmed they received warnings that the boy had a gun at school, but a search of his belongings before the shooting turned up no weapon.