Mother of 6-Year-Old Shooter Enters 2nd Plea

It just keeps getting worse for Deja Taylor.

After her 6-year-old son brought her firearm to Richneck Elementary and shot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, local prosecutors came down her block after declining to charge the child. Now, she faces prison time.

Taylor pleaded guilty to felony child neglect after being accused of not securing her firearm safely from her son, per CNN. Taylor said the gun was legally purchased and kept in the top shelf of her bedroom with a trigger lock. However, authorities didn’t find a trigger lock upon searching the home. Instead, her son admitted to detectives he took the firearm from Taylor’s purse on top of her dresser. They also said the boy was seen playing with the gun at his grandmother’s house and said he wanted to go to a shooting range.

Unfortunately, he chose Zwerner’s classroom for target practice on Jan 6. Zwerner suffered injuries to her hand and chest and said bullet fragments are still lodged in her upper diaphragm. Local prosecutors refused to charge the child because of his age but child neglect isn’t the only charged Taylor faced on this case.

Read more from CNN:

The felony felony child neglect charge has a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison. However, per a plea agreement, prosecutors have said they will not seek a punishment beyond the sentencing guidelines of six months.

Judge Chris Papile said he reserves the right to sentence outside that recommendation.

As part of a plea deal, Taylor previously pleaded guilty to federal gun charges. Sentencing on those charges will take place on October 18.

The report said the boy is now being cared for by his grandfather and has been in therapy for “extreme emotional issues.” In the plea hearing, it was revealed that the boy was diagnosed with a defiance order and had been placed on medication. According to Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn, he’s been showing progress.

His mother is to be sentenced for child neglect on Oct. 27.