Mother of 6-year-old who shot Newport News teacher pleads guilty to Virginia charge

userAugust 15, 2023

Virginia teacher shot by student sues district

Virginia teacher shot by student sues school district

00:21

Taylor, 26, was charged in April with child neglect and recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child, a misdemeanor, but prosecutors dropped the misdemeanor count in a plea agreement.

Her sentencing was scheduled for late October, according to online court records. Prosecutors said they won’t seek a sentence greater than what sentencing guidelines call for, which would be six months in jail or prison.

Taylor only spoke during Tuesday’s hearing to acknowledge she understood the proceedings.

In April, Taylor’s attorney said his client had experienced miscarriages and postpartum depression before the January incident at Richneck Elementary School, the AP reported. The attorney, James Ellenson, said Tuesday that the boy’s great-grandfather was taking care of him.

In June, Taylor pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally obtaining and possessing a firearm and making a false statement on a government form to buy the firearm. She’s scheduled to be sentenced for the federal charges in October.

Alex Sundby

Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com

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Virginia teacher shot by student sues district

Virginia teacher shot by student sues school district

00:21

The mother of a 6-year-old boy who authorities say used her gun to shoot his teacher at a Virginia elementary school in January pleaded guilty Tuesday to a state charge stemming from the shooting, according to The Associated Press. Deja Taylor pleaded guilty to felony child neglect in a Newport News courtroom.Taylor, 26, was charged in April with child neglect and recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child, a misdemeanor, but prosecutors dropped the misdemeanor count in a plea agreement.Her sentencing was scheduled for late October, according to online court records. Prosecutors said they won’t seek a sentence greater than what sentencing guidelines call for, which would be six months in jail or prison.

Taylor only spoke during Tuesday’s hearing to acknowledge she understood the proceedings.In April, Taylor’s attorney said his client had experienced miscarriages and postpartum depression before the January incident at Richneck Elementary School, the AP reported. The attorney, James Ellenson, said Tuesday that the boy’s great-grandfather was taking care of him.