Mother of 6-Year-Old Shooter Pleads Guilty to Firearms Charges

The mother of a 6-year-old who shot his first-grade teacher in Virginia pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for using marijuana while owning a firearm and making false statements about drug use when she bought the gun. The mother, Deja Taylor, was previously indicted by a grand jury in Virginia on state criminal charges of neglect and endangerment, in connection with her son’s access to the handgun that he used in the shooting. The federal authorities focused on her purchase and ownership of the gun, which, she acknowledged in her plea on Monday, was illegal given the extent of her marijuana use. The charges are the latest development in a case that has drawn national attention amid charged debates over guns and school safety.