Just days after the shooting, an arrest warrant was issued for the husband, who’s still in the hospital.
57-year-old James Weems Jr. is in police custody — and in the hospital — after cops say he was shot by his wife, who was confronting her husband over allegations he molested three children under her care.
Shanteari Weems, 50, was arrested and charged with assault with intent to kill last Thursday, July 21, in Washington, D.C. Per police, “members located an adult male, inside of a hotel room, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.”
According to police charging documents (via WMAR), Weems owns Lil Kidz Kastle Daycare Center and reportedly confronted her husband — a retired police officer who worked as a bus driver for the center — after three children she babysits said he molested them.
Per CBS News, Weems reported the alleged abuse to the police, but parents kept contacting her about the allegations. That’s when she confronted James over the claims inside their room at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in D.C. last week. When police approached the room asking if someone had been shot, she reportedly responded, “F— him, he’s a child molester.”
Weems reportedly told police she grabbed a gun from her purse and shot her husband when he made a move toward her during the heated discussion. Police found two guns on the scene, as well as a notebook in which Shanteari seemingly wrote about her plans to shoot James. She also told police she didn’t want to kill her husband, but only hurt him.
Her notebook allegedly contained notes like, “I want [Victim 1] to face the world as scum,” “I want these kids to get justice, and you gonna pay” and “My only regret for me is that I didn’t put the bullet in your head.” The book also reportedly included an apology to her own children and “an informal last will and testament,” per WJLA.
Days after the shooting, on Tuesday, July 26, Baltimore County Police issued an arrest warrant for James, “after allegations surfaced that Weems sexually abused at least three children while working at a daycare facility located in Owings Mills.”
Per the press release, Baltimore PD began investigating Weems “earlier this month after they were notified of the abuse” — and said he faces multiple charges.
“We’re not going to get into the specifics of the allegations at this point since it does remain an open investigation and additional charges may be filed in this matter,” Joy Lepola-Stewart, spokesperson for Baltimore County police, told CBS.
James, meanwhile, was still hospitalized and in police custody as of Tuesday in D.C., pending extradition to Baltimore County.
Shanteari is due in court on Friday. Her attorney told DailyMail she acted in self defense — saying, “He responded violently to being accused and she had to defend herself.”
“She is in hell,” he added. “This is a woman who was completely and utterly traumatized by having these mothers come to her. She did not want him to touch another child … not on her watch – that’s for damn sure.”
