Former Assistant Principal Stands Trial on Felony Child Abuse Charges

A former assistant principal at a Virginia elementary school is standing trial on criminal charges more than three years after a then-6-year-old student shot his first grade teacher in their classroom. Ebony Parker has been charged with eight counts of felony child abuse with disregard for life in connection with the January 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News.

One count corresponds to each unspent bullet in the gun, according to the Newport News Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. She has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors allege that Parker failed to respond after several staffers raised concerns that the student had a gun. Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Josh Jenkins said during opening statements on Tuesday that multiple people went to Parker over the course of an hour to report an armed child at the school.

Jenkins said the evidence will show that Parker did not order a search of the child, did not call police, and did not remove the child from the classroom. Defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued that other school staffers, including the teacher, could have acted.

Rogers said the claim that Parker was the only person with knowledge and authority to respond was not accurate. The criminal trial is scheduled to run through at least Thursday.

Zwerner, the first witness, testified that she had told Parker prior to the shooting that the student seemed to be off that day and in a violent mood. Reading specialist Amy Kovac testified that she told Parker that two students reported the child had a gun in his bag.

Kovac said she searched the bag at recess but did not find a gun and later told Parker she believed the gun was in the child's jacket pocket. Zwerner and Parker both resigned following the shooting. The student's mother, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in state prison after pleading guilty to child neglect in connection with the shooting.