Charges Dropped Against Virginia School Assistant Principal
A former assistant principal in Virginia had her criminal charges dropped. Ebony Parker worked at an elementary school.
She was accused of ignoring warnings about a six-year-old student. The student had a gun in his backpack.
In 2023 the student shot and wounded his teacher. Parker faced eight counts of felony child neglect.
The judge ruled this was not a crime under Virginia law. The case was dismissed and cannot be tried again.
But a civil jury ordered Parker to pay her teacher $10 million in November 2025. Parker is appealing that decision.
Klear Note — Child neglect charges require proof someone knowingly failed to protect a child. Virginia law has specific rules about what counts as criminal neglect. Civil cases have lower proof standards than criminal cases.
Key Terms 4
- dismissed with prejudice Case is permanently closed and cannot be tried again
- felony child neglect Serious criminal charge for failing to protect a child from harm
- civil jury A court that decides money owed but not criminal punishment
- appealing Asking a higher court to review and change a decision