The shooting happened at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News
The mother of a six-year-old US elementary school student who shot and seriously wounded his teacher in January has been charged with child neglect, a prosecutor in the eastern state of Virginia said.
In addition to the criminal indictment, Deja Taylor was also charged by a grand jury with “misdemeanor recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child,” according to a statement by the city of Newport News prosecutor’s office.
Ms Taylor’s lawyer James Ellenson said that his client “will be turning herself in later this week”.
The city’s lead prosecutor, Howard Gwynn, said his investigation into the widely-publicised shooting was ongoing, and that he would be requesting the empanelment of a “special grand jury” – a panel of citizens with broad investigative powers – to review the school’s security arrangements.
“If the Special Grand Jury determines that additional persons are criminally responsible under the law, it can return additional indictments,” said Mr Gwynn, who announced last month that no charges would be brought against Ms Taylor’s son.
According to police, on 6 January, the first-grade student pulled a 9mm Taurus pistol, which had been legally purchased by his mother, from his bag and shot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News.
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