A former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary in Newport News, Virginia, was indicted last month on eight felony counts following an incident where a 6-year-old student brought a gun to school and shot a teacher. Ebony Parker, the accused administrator, faces charges of child abuse and disregard for life as determined by a Special Grand Jury on March 11.
Court documents reveal that Parker, who was responsible for the students' well-being at Richneck Elementary, allegedly committed acts or omissions that displayed a reckless disregard for human life. Each felony count carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
Parker resigned from her position approximately three weeks after the shooting incident involving teacher Abigail Zwerner, who survived the attack. Despite the indictment, Parker and her attorney have not provided any comments on the matter.
Legal representatives for Zwerner have expressed grave concerns over the school district's failure to prevent the tragic shooting. They argue that proper intervention by the school and its administrators could have averted the incident. A $40 million lawsuit filed against the school board and administrators alleges that multiple warnings about the student possessing a gun and making threats were ignored on the day of the shooting.
The attorneys representing Zwerner emphasize the seriousness of the charges against Parker and criticize the school board for denying responsibility in the case. They view the indictment as a reflection of systemic failures and negligence within the school district.
Efforts to obtain comments from the office of Newport News Commonwealth Attorney Howard Gwynn regarding the case are ongoing.
