Newport News, Virginia – A former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, has been indicted and charged with eight felony counts after a 6-year-old student brought a gun to school and shot a teacher last year. Ebony Parker was indicted and charged with child abuse and disregard for life by a Special Grand Jury on March 11, according to court records.
Parker, who was responsible for the care of students at Richneck Elementary, allegedly committed acts that showed a reckless disregard for human life, as stated in court documents. Each felony count in Virginia carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. Parker and her attorney have not commented on the charges.
The incident unfolded when teacher Abigail Zwerner was shot by one of her first-grade students. Zwerner survived the shooting, and Parker resigned from her position about three weeks later. Attorneys representing Zwerner issued a statement expressing serious concerns about the school district’s failure to prevent the tragic shooting.
Zwerner’s attorney claimed that the shooting could have been prevented with proper intervention by the school and its administrators. A $40 million lawsuit was filed against the school board and administrators, alleging that concerned teachers and employees had raised alarm about the student possessing a gun and making threats on the day of the incident.
CNN reached out to the office of Newport News Commonwealth Attorney Howard Gwynn for comment regarding the case. The indictment of the former assistant principal sheds light on the challenges faced by schools in ensuring student safety and the consequences of negligence in such matters. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of proactive measures in preventing such incidents from occurring in educational settings.