Former Assistant Principal of Virginia Elementary School Where 6-Year-Old Student Shot His Teacher Faces Charges of Child Abuse

Former Virginia Assistant Principal Faces Charges child neglect Student Shot His Teacher

By Jackelyn Cornejo , Parent Herald Apr 10, 01:16 am

Photo: (Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images )

According to court documents, the previous assistant principal of a Virginia elementary school where a 6-year-old student shot his teacher last year has been charged with accusations of child abuse.

Former Virginia Assistant Principal Faces Charges of Child Abuse

Ebony Parker faces eight counts connected to the day of the shooting, each carrying an utmost sentence of five years in prison, as per the online docket. An arrest warrant for her has been issued.

The details of the charges were not instantly available due to the inability to access a copy of the indictment. The Newport News Commonwealth Attorney's Office did not respond instantly for comment, and it's ambiguous whether Parker has legal representation.

The firing, which happened on Jan. 6, 2023, resulted in first-grade teacher Abigail Zwerner being purposefully shot by one of her students. Zwerner filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school district, pressing they failed to act on cautions about the child owning a firearm.

Parker resigned following the lawsuit. Lawyers for Zwerner welcomed the additional charges, emphasizing the failure of the school district to prevent the shooting.

The student's mother, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years on a state charge of felony child neglect. Taylor previously pleaded guilty to using marijuana while owning a gun, receiving a federal sentence before her state sentence begins.

James Ellenson, Taylor's lawyer, expressed disappointment that charges against school officials didn't come sooner, arguing his client doesn't bear the full responsibility for the incident. The prosecutor, Howard Gwynn, stated he wouldn't seek charges against the student due to his age.

Seven lawsuits have been filed versus school leadership for carelessness, with lawyers representing the families conveying hope that the criminal justice system will give an explanation and hold the administration liable.

Teacher Shot By 6-Year-Old Student Filed $40 Million Lawsuit

Each charge carries the highest penalty of five years in prison. Parker, a resident of Newport News, was on duty when the 6-year-old released a single shot at his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, during a reading class.

Zwerner, who has since recovered, filed a $40 million lawsuit alleging that Parker ignored multiple warnings about the child possessing a gun on school grounds that day.

The lawsuit outlines a sequence of alerts provided by school staff to administrators before the shooting. Despite these warnings, Parker allegedly failed to take appropriate action.

After a special grand jury inspection, Parker's accusations were issued on March 11 and exposed on Tuesday. A warrant for her arrest has been issued, though she remains at large.

Parker resigned from her position following the shooting, becoming the first school official and second person charged in connection with the incident.

Zwerner's lawsuit involves numerous parties, including the Newport News School Board, former Superintendent George Parker III, former Richneck principal Briana Foster Newton, and Parker herself. Zwerner, who no longer works for the school system, expressed a determination to hold those responsible for the tragedy accountable through both criminal and civil proceedings.