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Richneck Elementary School in Newport News: Violent act by a child
Photo: Billy Schuerman / AP
A six-year-old had shot at his teacher in the US state of Virginia in January – with his mother's gun. Now the woman has pleaded guilty to neglecting her child. The public prosecutor's office agreed to drop the charge of endangerment by the negligent storage of a loaded firearm.
In the course of the agreement, the prosecution also assured that it would not seek a sentence that would last six months in prison. A decision on the sentence is to be made in October.
Weapon in mother's purse
According to police, the first-grader in Newport News deliberately shot at the teacher as she sat at a table during a lesson. She was hit in the hand and chest. She spent about two weeks in a hospital and had to be operated on several times.
According to a document from the investigating authorities, shortly after the shooting, the child said to a teacher who was holding the boy back: "I shot this (swear word)." In addition, the boy is said to have said that he "got my mother's gun last night".
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During the mother's hearing, a prosecutor's official said the student got to the gun by climbing onto a drawer to reach the top of a dresser. There, the weapon was kept in his mother's purse.
Admission of guilt in further proceedings
The mother had told the police that she believed that the weapon had been secured with a lock and that this would have prevented the shooting. However, such a lock was not found during searches.
In June, the mother pleaded guilty in another trial to illegally consuming marijuana while possessing a firearm.
In May, the woman had stated on the program "Good Morning America" that she felt responsible and had apologized to the injured teacher. That's my son, so as a parent, I'm naturally willing to take responsibility for him because he can't take responsibility for himself."
bbr/AP