Mother of Indiana school shooter sentenced to probation

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) — The mother of a 14-year-old boy who fired gunshots inside an eastern Indiana middle school in 2018 has avoided any jail time for failing to take actions that authorities say could have prevented the shooting.

The teen shot out a door at Dennis Intermediate School in Richmond and fired shots at police officers who had cornered him in a stairwell before he fatally shot himself while students and teachers were sheltering inside classrooms.

A Wayne County judge this past week accepted guilty pleas from Mary Ann York, 44, on four child neglect charges for not removing guns from her home after her son threatened to kill students and not making sure he received counseling and took medications for his mental health issues.

The judge sentenced York to 2½ years of probation that includes 60 hours of community service. Prosecutors dropped two other charges in the plea agreement.

York apologized during a court hearing, saying she wanted to work with children to spread mental health and suicide awareness, the Palladium-Item reported.