In a poignant twist of events that unfolded in Virginia, the mother of a six-year-old boy who tragically shot his teacher in the first-grade classroom faces an added designation of child neglect. Deja Taylor, who had already been handed a 21-month sentence in federal prison, may face an additional six months if the prosecutors' recommendation is upheld in her state charges. The upcoming trial will determine whether her potential sentence will run concurrently with her 21-month federal imprisonment or will be added on top of it.
The chilling event occurred when Taylor's son used her firearm to shoot Abigail Zwirner, his first-grade teacher, injuring her hand and chest. Taylor was sentenced last month for the unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm and making a false statement while obtaining the firearm. The fact that she failed several drug tests during her pre-trial services resulted in an immediate jail order from the judge.
On a more personal note, Zwirner, recovering from both physical and emotional wounds, is expected to attend the state hearing and will present a similar victim impact statement to the one given at Taylor's federal sentencing that moved many. Partially, she claims to have 'lost herself following the shooting,' expressing that the trauma instilled lasting fears and turned her life and loved career 'completely upside down.'
Once fond of children, Zwirner now admits to the difficulty of imagining a future working with them again. Sadly, she says, her life 'will never be close to the same again'.
In terms of the young boy, then six years old at the time of the shooting, his attorney has confirmed he is now living with his grandfather in Newport News, Virginia. The grandfather now has custody of the child, marking an indefinite turning point in their lives.
This dreadful incident has not only shuttered a teacher's career but put an unfortunate twist on the lives of many; a stern reminder of the repercussions of carelessness about firearm safety.
