Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher during class in Virginia Beach, Va. in January entered into a plea deal with prosecutors on Tuesday.
Prosecutors charged Deja Taylor, 26, with felony child neglect, and she could serve up to six months in state prison based on a recommendation by the Newport News commonwealth's attorney. A separate charge of a misdemeanor of recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child will be dropped, allowing her to avoid a potential six-year prison sentence.
Local police responded to the shooting of a teacher at Richneck Elementary in Newport News, Va., on Jan. 6, during which they took into custody a boy, who is identified only by his initials, and 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.
James Ellenson, a lawyer for the family, said Taylor remains remorseful, although he believes no prison time will be the appropriate sentence.
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"She feels very responsible, feels very bad," James Ellenson, Taylor's attorney said after the hearing. "It's just very emotional, the whole hearing. It's all just very upsetting to everybody."
The teacher, Abby Zwerner, survived and the incident made national headlines about the availability of guns and school safety.
Taylor will be sentenced on Oct. 27, and the judge will not be bound by the plea agreement.
In June, Taylor entered a guilty plea in federal court to having a firearm while also possessing marijuana and lying on a federal gun background check about her drug use. She will be sentenced in that case on Oct. 18.
The federal guidelines have her serving from 18 months to two years in that case. Prosecutors are expected to ask for no more than six months.
