Mother of 6-year-old shooter pleads guilty to child neglect

Virginia mother Deja Taylor pleaded guilty on Tuesday to felony child neglect. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors agreed to seek a maximum sentence of six months and drop a misdemeanor reckless storage of a firearm. Felony child neglect can carry a maximum sentence of six years. In January, Taylor’s 6-year-old son took her handgun to school and shot his first-grade teacher in the hand and torso. Teacher Abby Zwerner survived her injuries and filed a $40 million lawsuit against Newport News school officials.

How did Taylor’s son get a hold of the gun? Court documents indicate Taylor stored the legally purchased, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in a purse on the top shelf of her closet. Taylor's son told police he climbed a dresser to get the gun. The Taylor family lawyer James Ellison said no adult “knows exactly how he got the gun.” Taylor earlier pleaded guilty to marijuana use while possessing a firearm in June. She will be sentenced for both of her charges in October. 

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Dunn’s report in WORLD Magazine on families lobbying for gun safety after the Nashville Covenant School shooting.