UPDATE
Aug 15, 2023 12:55 PM CDT
In a significant development, Deja Taylor, aged 26, has pleaded guilty to child neglect in connection with the shooting incident involving her 6-year-old son and his schoolteacher. According to a report by the Washington Post, Taylor confessed to owning the gun used in the shooting and storing it in a location accessible to her son. The prosecutors revealed that he simply took the gun from her purse. Taylor is set to be sentenced in October and could face up to six months in prison. This guilty plea comes after Taylor previously pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Jun 12, 2023 6:07 PM CDT
Deja Nicole Taylor, the mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher at a Virginia elementary school, has pleaded guilty to federal charges. As per the Virginian-Pilot, Taylor admitted to felony charges of possessing a firearm while using marijuana and lying on a federal background check form about her marijuana usage. Under a plea agreement, prosecutors are expected to seek a sentence between 18 and 24 months for the 25-year-old during her October sentencing.
It is worth noting that marijuana is legal in Virginia but remains a controlled substance under federal law. The AP reports that Taylor’s charges are relatively rare. Prosecutors mentioned that they discovered the drug at Taylor’s residence and her mother’s residence in the aftermath of the shooting incident. They also found text messages on Taylor’s phone that indicated the extent of her marijuana usage. Notably, in a traffic stop in 2021, police found cannabis edibles resembling rice treats next to her then 4-year-old son.
The statement of facts from the prosecutors contradicts the claims made by Taylor’s lawyers regarding the security of the firearm. According to the Washington Post, her lawyers argued that she believed the handgun taken by her son to school was safely stored on a high closet shelf. However, prosecutors stated that no trigger lock or key to a trigger lock was found at Taylor’s or her mother’s residence. Taylor still faces state charges, including felony child neglect. Meanwhile, the schoolteacher, Abby Zwerner, who was shot in the hand and chest, is suing the school district for $40 million. (Read more school shooting stories.)
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