Judge dismisses all child neglect counts against Newport News assistant principal Ebony Parker
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- A judge dismissed all eight felony child neglect charges against Ebony Parker, a former Virginia elementary school assistant principal accused of ignoring warnings before a 6-year-old student shot and wounded a teacher.
- Prosecutors argued Parker failed to act on repeated warnings about the student potentially having a gun, while Parker's attorney contended that teachers, not Parker, were responsible for intervening.
- The school’s policy required administrators to handle crisis situations, but Parker denied a request to search the child and did not inform the principal; the school’s security officer was absent during the incident.
- The shooting severely injured first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, who underwent multiple surgeries and cannot fully use her left hand; she was awarded $10 million in a previous civil trial finding Parker liable.
- The judge clarified the dismissal was based solely on legal principles, not on the facts of the case.