Virginia mum of child who shot teacher sentenced to 21 months in prison

The mother of a six-year-old boy who shot his teacher in the US state of Virginia has been sentenced to 21 months in prison on a drug charge linked to the gun used in the attack.

Deja Taylor, 26, pleaded guilty in June to using cannabis while owning a firearm. She still faces sentencing on a state charge of felony child neglect.

Her son brought the gun to school on 6 January in Newport News and shot teacher Abby Zwerner, injuring her.

Ms Zwerner is suing for $40m (£32m).

After the shooting, investigators found roughly 1oz (28g) of cannabis in Taylor's home.

While the drug is legal in many states, including Virginia, it is illegal to own a gun and be an active drug user.

Taylor was sentenced by a federal judge on Wednesday evening. They agreed to impose the full term requested by prosecutors.

She faces a separate hearing in December on the child neglect charge.

In June, Taylor negotiated a guilty plea in a federal court in Newport News.

She was convicted on two counts: using marijuana while owning a gun and lying about her drug use on a federal form.

Ms Zwerner, who was shot in the hand and upper chest and spent two weeks in hospital, has filed a lawsuit against the Virginia school board.

She said Richneck Elementary School was aware of the child's "history of random violence", which she alleged was repeatedly ignored.

Earlier this month the school board lost a bid to dismiss the lawsuit, where they argued that her injuries fell exclusively under workers' compensation.

The child, now aged seven, told police he obtained the firearm by mounting a drawer to reach his mom's handbag on top of a dresser, where the handgun was kept.

Taylor told police she had secured her gun with a trigger lock, but investigators did not find such a security measure.

Investigators also said they found evidence of frequent drug use in her text messages and paraphernalia around Taylor's home.

The federal charge of using drugs while owning a firearm is relatively rare and has faced multiple court challenges for infringing upon constitutional rights to gun ownership.

President Joe Biden's son Hunter has been charged with violating the same law.