Mother of 6-yr-old who shot teacher in US turns herself in

Washington, April 15 (IANS) The mother of a six-year-old boy who shot his teacher at a school in the US state of Virginia, has turned herself in to the authorities, according to police.

In a statement on Friday, the Newport News Police Department said that Deja Taylor turned herself in at the Newport News City Jail the previous for outstanding warrants in reference to the January 6 shooting that occurred at Richneck Elementary, reports Xinhua news agency.

The city of Newport News is located 112 km south of the state capital Richmond.

Taylor has been charged with felony child neglect and misdemeanor recklessly leaving a loaded firearm to endanger a child, said the statement.

The felony neglect charge is punishable by up to five years in prison.

The misdemeanor charge of recklessly storing a firearm is punishable by up to one year in jail.

Police said that Taylor's son shot and wounded first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner in her classroom at Richneck Elementary.

Zwerner was seriously wounded in a hand and her chest and was hospitalised for nearly two weeks.

No charges have been brought against the boy who opened fire at the teacher.

Zwerner filed a lawsuit against the school system, accusing officials of gross negligence and of ignoring warnings that the boy had taken a gun to school that day.

The boy's family previously said in a statement that the weapon was "secured" in the home and that "our son suffers from an acute disability".