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A former Virginia assistant principal is on trial on felony child neglect charges after prosecutors say she ignored warnings that a 6-year-old student had a loaded gun before the child shot his teacher in 2023.
Jury selection began Monday in Newport News in the trial of Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School. Parker, who has pleaded not guilty, faces eight felony child neglect charges tied to the shooting of first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, according to The Associated Press.
Prosecutors allege several school employees warned Parker that the student might have a gun, but she failed to take action before the shooting happened, the outlet reported.
Parker’s defense has argued she is being unfairly blamed for broader failures that preceded the shooting.
ATTORNEY SAYS VIRGINIA SCHOOL MISSED WARNINGS BEFORE 6-YEAR-OLD SHOT TEACHER
Former Richneck Elementary School assistant principal Ebony Parker looks back in the courtroom during Abby Zwerner’s lawsuit in Newport News, Virginia, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot)
Prosecutors brought one count for each of the eight bullets loaded in the gun. If convicted, Parker could face up to five years in prison for each count, AP reported.
The shooting happened on Jan. 6, 2023, when authorities said the 6-year-old student shot Zwerner while she was teaching.
She was hospitalized for nearly two weeks and underwent six surgeries after the bullet narrowly missed her heart. She still has limited use of her left hand, according to the AP.
TEACHER SHOT BY 6-YEAR-OLD TELLS JURORS SHE NEVER PULLED CHILD FROM CLASS AS DEFENSE EXPERTS BACK OFFICIALS
Former Richneck Elementary School teacher Abby Zwerner looks back in the courtroom during her civil lawsuit trial in Newport News, Virginia, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot)
In November 2025, a jury awarded Zwerner $10 million in a civil lawsuit against Parker, alleging the former administrator dismissed concerns that the student may have brought a gun to school.
In a statement to Digital at the time, Zwerner’s legal team said the verdict marked a “major step forward in Abby’s long road of healing.”
During the earlier civil trial, Parker’s attorneys argued the shooting was “unforeseeable” and maintained she did not have a legal responsibility to protect Zwerner from the attack.
KENTUCKY TO CONSIDER BILL THAT WOULD HOLD PARENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR CHILDREN’S GUN CRIMES
Students return to Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot)
Zwerner is expected to testify in the criminal trial, AP reported.
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Authorities said the child got the gun from his mother’s purse after climbing onto a dresser. The student’s mother was previously sentenced to nearly four years in prison.
Digital’s Julia Bonavita, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
