The mother of the 6-year-old boy accused of shooting his first grade teacher in January is facing new federal charges over the incident, according to court documents cited by multiple outlets.
Deja Taylor was previously indicted on charges of child neglect and recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child after the shooting of first-grade teacher Abigail Zwerner. Now, Taylor is facing two new federal charges related to the incident, CBS reported. She is being charged with unlawfully using a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, according to court documents cited by the outlet.
JUST IN: Deja Taylor, the mother of the student that shot a Newport News teacher in January, is facing federal gun and drug charges.https://t.co/MUIv7BIHTX pic.twitter.com/i7CswCNMSk
— WTKR News 3 (@WTKR3) June 5, 2023
Zwerner was teaching in her classroom at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, when Taylor’s 6-year-old son, who suffers from an “acute disability,” allegedly shot her. The boy reportedly obtained the gun from his home, though his family later said in a statement that the gun had been secured. The injuries Zwerner sustained to her hand and chest led to a two-week hospital stay, as well as four surgeries.
In purchasing the 9mm firearm reportedly used in the shooting, Taylor “knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement to Winfree Firearms” in Grafton, Virginia, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia alleged, according to CBS. Taylor is also being charged with falsely claiming on her Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives applications that she did not use marijuana, despite illegally using the drug, the outlet reported.
After Taylor’s initial indictment, Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn said more charges could be brought forth, pending further investigation into the Jan. 6 shooting. Taylor has indicated she will plead guilty to all charges which “eliminated the need for the government to take the case to a grand jury,” her lawyer, James Ellenson, said, according to CNN. (RELATED: 6-Year-Old Virginia Student Won’t Face Charges After Shooting First-Grade Teacher, Prosecutor Says)
“Our action follows very constructive negotiations we had with federal authorities. The terms of the agreement, which we believe to be fair to all parties, will be disclosed when we enter the guilty plea,” Ellenson continued.