A Virginia mother, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in prison on a state charge of felony child neglect for her 6-year-old son's shooting of his elementary school teacher earlier this year. Circuit Court Judge Christopher Papile handed down the sentence, which was harsher than the six-month prison term suggested by prosecutors. Taylor will also serve two years of probation after her release. In addition to the state sentence, Taylor is already serving 21 months on a related federal charge for using marijuana while owning a gun, which is illegal under federal law. She pleaded guilty to the federal charge in June and was sentenced last month. As part of the state sentence, Taylor is not allowed to have contact with her son until he turns 18.

The shooting incident, which occurred on January 6 at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, shocked the community and drew national attention to school safety and gun violence. The first-grade teacher, Abigail Zwerner, was intentionally shot by one of her students. Zwerner suffered injuries to her hand and chest and has since filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school district, claiming that administrators failed to listen to multiple warnings about the child's possession of a handgun. Zwerner attended Taylor's sentencing and read a victim impact statement. She stated that she suffers from anxiety and depression as a result of the shooting and no longer wants to teach.

The court heard that on the day of the shooting, Taylor believed her gun was in her purse with a trigger lock installed and left on top of her bedroom dresser. However, the gun was accessible to her son, who retrieved it and brought it to school. Taylor had previously fired her gun in an argument about her son's father, according to text messages obtained by prosecutors. Investigators also found marijuana in Taylor's bedroom during a search of her home.

The child's family has stated that he has an "acute disability" and had been receiving court-ordered treatment at a medical facility. The boy's great-grandfather, Calvin Taylor, has been caring for him. In a letter supporting Deja Taylor, Calvin Taylor stated that she is undergoing therapy and substance abuse counseling and feels remorse for her actions. However, he expressed disappointment in the sentencing decision, stating that additional time in prison would not fix the problem.

The Newport News Commonwealth's Attorney's Office has stated that the child will not face charges given his young age. However, a special grand jury has been impaneled to determine if additional individuals could be held criminally responsible for the shooting. Zwerner's lawyer, Diane Toscano, stated that her client's focus remains on the lawsuit against the school district, which accuses them of negligence in protecting teachers and students.

This case has sparked debates about gun safety, school security, and the responsibilities of parents and schools in preventing such incidents. The community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the shooting and seeks ways to improve safety measures in schools.