A Maryland daycare owner who shot her husband after learning he sexually abused children at her facility has been released from prison — and says she has no regrets.
Shanteari Young spent nearly three and a half years behind bars after shooting her then-husband, James Weems Jr., twice inside a Washington, D.C. hotel room in 2022 when allegations surfaced that he had abused children at the Lil Kidz Kastle Daycare Center she owned.
Weems survived the shooting and was later convicted of sexually abusing a child connected to the daycare. A judge sentenced the former Baltimore police officer to life in prison, calling him a danger to the public.
Young pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and weapons charges and received a four-year sentence. After completing prison time and home confinement, she was released in late 2025.
Now working at a recovery home, Young says she wants to advocate for abused children and turn what she calls a catastrophic moment in her life into something positive — while acknowledging that taking justice into her own hands changed her life forever.
Despite everything, she says she does not regret what happened.