Shanteari Young, a Daycare Owner Released from Prison

Shanteari Young, a daycare owner from Baltimore County, Maryland, who shot her ex-husband after discovering he was sexually abusing children at her daycare, has been released from prison and is now staying at a halfway house, working to rebuild her life. According to CBS News, Young was arrested in July 2022 after shooting James Weems, her then-husband and a former Baltimore City police officer. The shooting happened during a business trip in Washington, D.C., after she confronted him about child abuse allegations involving kids from her daycare, Lil Kidz Kastle in Owings Mills.

Weems was later convicted in 2024 of rape and sexual abuse involving a 10-year-old girl, one of the victims he abused inside the daycare van. He was sentenced to life in prison. Young testified against him during the trial but was not allowed to tell the jury about the shooting incident.

Young has served most of her four-year prison sentence, twice what prosecutors recommended. The ruling by Judge Michael O’Keefe sparked backlash from supporters who felt the punishment was excessive. Messages of support from Maryland and around the world helped Young get through her sentence.

Now at a halfway house in Washington, D.C., Young said she’s focused on rebuilding her life and returning to Maryland. She hopes to continue her work raising awareness about child sexual abuse and supporting her community.

“I’m just looking forward to rebuilding and giving back to the community like I was before,” she said.