Virginia mom of 6-year-old who shot instructor Abby Zwerner arrested

April 14, 2023

The mom of the 6-year-old boy who shot a instructor at a Virginia elementary faculty has been arrested, police introduced.

The lady was charged with felony baby neglect and recklessly leaving a loaded firearm in order to hazard a toddler, a misdemeanor, and turned herself in to police Thursday, the Newport Information Police Division mentioned. Authorities introduced the fees Monday.

USA TODAY will not be naming the lady on this story to guard the id of the kid.

The felony cost is punishable by as much as 5 years in jail. The misdemeanor is punishable by as much as one yr in jail.

The lady was launched after posting a $5,000 bond. She was set to have her first court docket listening to Friday, mentioned James Ellenson, her lawyer.

What household of 6-year-old boy has mentioned

Ellenson has mentioned that the lady has no felony document and that her gun was secured on a high shelf in her closet with a set off lock.

The boy has an “acute incapacity” and was beneath a care plan that concerned a guardian accompanying him to class day by day, Ellenson mentioned. The week of the capturing was the primary when a guardian was not with him in school, he mentioned.

6-year-old boy shot, wounded instructor in Virginia elementary faculty

The arrest comes greater than three months because the capturing at Richneck Elementary College in Newport Information, a metropolis close to the Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia. Police say a 6-year-old boy, who has not been publicly recognized, shot his first grade instructor, Abby Zwerner, 25, utilizing his mom’s gun, hanging Zwerner within the hand and chest. The gun was bought legally, authorities mentioned.

Authorities have described the capturing as “intentional” and mentioned it got here with out warning.

Zwerner hustled her college students out of the classroom whereas one other workers member who heard the gunshot restrained the kid. Police referred to as the instructor a “hero” who could have saved lives. She was rushed to the hospital with what police initially described as life-threatening accidents. Zwerner was within the hospital for almost two weeks.

Trainer sues faculty system

Zwerner filed a $40 million lawsuit in opposition to the varsity system final week, accusing faculty officers of negligence and of ignoring a number of warnings from academics and workers members that the boy had taken a gun to highschool.

Zwerner’s lawyer, Diane Toscano, instructed reporters in January that workers had warned directors thrice that the boy had a gun however nothing was accomplished. The 6-year-old additionally usually cursed at workers members and academics, chased college students whereas making an attempt to whip them together with his belt and as soon as choked one other instructor, based on a authorized discover filed by Zwerner’s lawyer.

The town prosecutor’s workplace introduced Tuesday that an investigation into whether or not the “actions or omissions” of any faculty workers might result in felony expenses.