Mother of Boy, 6, Who Shot Va. Teacher Sentenced to 21 Months

Deja Taylor pleaded guilty in June for illegally possessing a firearm and making a false statement to purchase it

The mother of the 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher at a Virginia elementary school, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for felony offenses.

The ruling — the Associated Press, CNN and New York Times reported — comes after Deja Taylor, 26, pleaded guilty in June for illegally possessing a firearm while using marijuana and making a false statement about using the drug on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) form to buy the firearm.

In January, Taylor's 6-year-old son "shot and severely injured" Abigail Zwerner, a first grade Richneck Elementary School teacher, with a Taurus, Model PT111, G2A, 9mm, semiautomatic handgun, according to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office Eastern District Virginia. The firearm was traced back to a purchase Taylor made in July 2022.

Taylor’s home was searched by investigators who found “narcotics packaging, narcotics paraphernalia, marijuana, marijuana edible packaging, a box of ammunition, and a black firearm barrel lock,” the DA's office said. They added that the agents also found "approximately 24.5 grams of marijuana, marijuana edible packaging, and marijuana paraphernalia" at the home of Taylor’s mother.

Related: 6-Year-Old Boy Shoots Teacher at Virginia Elementary School: 'This Was Not an Accidental Shooting'

Taylor’s attorneys asked for her to be sentenced to three years of probation with “home confinement and appropriate counseling,” according to a filing obtained by CNN. However, federal prosecutors asked for a 21-month sentence for each count — which was granted — with the judge ordering Taylor to serve the sentences concurrently, her attorney told the outlet.

PEOPLE has reached out to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office Eastern District Virginia for comment.

Zwerner testified during Taylor’s court hearing that the shooting has impacted her life. Her recovery has included "five surgeries and regular intensive therapy to restore motion in her hand," ABC News reported.

"Not only do I bear physical scars from the shooting that will remain with me forever, I contend daily with deep, psychological scars that plague me during most waking moments and invade my dreams," she said during the hearing, per the outlet.

Related: Virginia Teacher Shot by 6-Year-Old Files $40M Lawsuit Over School's Failure to Protect Her

She added, "This permanent damage should never have been allowed to happen to me and would not have happened if not for the defendant's actions or lack thereof.”

One of Taylor’s attorneys, Gene Rossi, said in a statement to ABC News that his client was “extremely sorry and very remorseful” for her “actions” and that she would feel remorse “for the rest of my life.”

Taylor also pleaded guilty to child neglect charges in August, CNN reported. That sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 15.

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As for Zwerner, she filed a $40 million lawsuit against her school district, accusing the school’s staff of negligence. According to ABC News, she alleged that the school’s vice principal was warned multiple times by different teachers on the day of the shooting that the child involved was behaving violently and reportedly had a gun.

The school tried to dismiss her lawsuit, but a judge ruled earlier this month that it could move forward, per the outlet.

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