A Baltimore County daycare owner who shot her husband when she learned he was sexually abusing children at the facility has been released from prison.
Shanteari Young served most of her four-year sentence, a punishment that outraged supporters who believed the judge was too harsh.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren spoke exclusively with Young from the halfway house where she is staying in Washington, D.C.
Young moved to the halfway house on Tuesday and told WJZ she is looking forward to rebuilding her life in Maryland soon. But she said she will likely have to spend some time in home confinement before her sentence officially ends in December.
Young was arrested in July 2022 after she shot her then-husband, former Baltimore City police officer James Weems, after confronting him over allegations he had been abusing children at her daycare, Lil Kidz Kastle in Owings Mills.
Weems was working security at an event and staying at what was then known as the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C., when his wife joined him on the business trip.
She opened fire while asking him about allegations of sexual abuse.
“The one thing I think that we need to know is that sexual abuse is not OK with children,” Young said. “A lot of times in the past, it has been covered up, and it’s good that it’s getting some type of notoriety to it so that we can stop it.”
Young continued, “We can help children and not accept this, especially from somebody who we all thought should have been protecting children and protecting the community at one point.”
Young divorced Weems during the ordeal and officially changed her last name.
Shanteari Young thanks supporters
Young testified against her ex-husband, who was convicted of rape and sexual abuse in 2024, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Prosecutors built their case around a 10-year-old girl he abused inside the daycare’s van.
“One of the things I really want to say is I thank everybody for the support that they have given me,” Young said. “It has really helped me get through my prison sentence, and I’m just really thankful for that. I’m glad to be out and at the halfway house, and I’m just looking forward to rebuilding and giving back to the community like I was before.”
Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced Young to four years in prison, double what prosecutors requested.
People around the world and in Maryland expressed outrage at the punishment they believed was too harsh.
“A lot of people wrote to me, and you know I was able to connect with a lot of people,” Young said. “I definitely felt the support. I think the support is what kept me sane in prison,” she said.
Young has a message for those who stood by her.
“I would just say thank you so much,” Young said. “I really appreciate each and every one of you.”
Thoughts on James Weems’ sentence
Young testified for the prosecution in her ex-husband’s case and has no regrets. She was not allowed to reveal to the jury that she shot him.
“I’m definitely glad that the justice system saw what happened, and he was sentenced to what he got. And that everybody can start trying to rebuild and move on,” Young said.
Young told jurors in October of last year how the confrontation unfolded.
“I had a lot of questions, trying to figure out what was going on… I was overwhelmed, distressed,” she said from the witness stand.
Young noted her husband “…was very calm. He didn’t ask any questions.”
“She told the truth. She did what she had to do. I’m disappointed that she did not go into what happened at the shooting because I think the jury needs to know why a person that rational, that calm, that focused and reasonable, why would she snap like that unless something happened?” her lawyer, Tony Garcia, said at the time.
Young said she is staying positive as she tries to rebuild her life.
“It’s a good thing that we’re able to start helping children and bring more awareness to sexual predators who are out there—even those that have on the blue uniform or are within certain areas where we would’ve assumed that these people wouldn’t have done anything,” Young said.
