Former Assistant Principal Faces Court Over Child Abandonment Charge
A former assistant principal at an elementary school in Virginia will appear in court on Monday, facing a felony charge of child abandonment. This comes after a first-grade student accidentally shot and killed a teacher in January 2023.
Ebony Parker is accused of ignoring warnings that a child had brought a gun to Rich Neck Elementary School. Reports indicate that Parker has been charged with eight counts of felony child neglect due to the presence of eight bullets in the gun. Each of these felonies could carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, according to sources.
The complaint states that Parker’s actions, or lack thereof, regarding the safety of the students were so severe and unreasonable that they demonstrated a reckless disregard for human life. This detail is noted in court documents.
Teacher Abby Zwirner was shot in the hand and upper chest while she was teaching in her classroom during the incident. Police reports indicate that the 9mm handgun used in the shooting was legally purchased by the boy’s mother and was taken to school in his backpack on that day.
Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew remarked that the shooting was “not random” and clarified that Zwirner was instructing her class when the child displayed the firearm and fired one shot.
Zwirner spent two weeks in the hospital after the shooting. She has undergone multiple surgeries, and the bullet that nearly struck her heart is still lodged in her chest. In October 2025, she testified after suing Parker for $40 million.
During her testimony, Zwirner mentioned that a reading specialist had informed her about a child bringing a gun to school just before recess. Although there was concern among several individuals regarding the situation, Parker did not take action. Unfortunately, the shooting occurred just hours later.
A jury awarded Zwirner a $10 million verdict in November 2025. As part of the proceedings, Zwirner’s father is set to testify at Parker’s criminal trial. The child’s mother was also charged in relation to the shooting, receiving a nearly four-year prison sentence for felony child abandonment and federal weapons charges.
