Daycare owner shot husband after learning of 2nd child molestation allegation against him

The behind-bars daycare owner who shot her retired-cop husband in a DC hotel last week drove there to confront him after learning of a second abuse allegation against him, weeks after their Maryland center was shut down by Child Protective Services when the first allegation was made, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Shanteari Weems, 50, is in custody in Washington being held on charges of domestic violence and weapons offenses. On Thursday, she shot her husband, retired cop James Weems Jr., in his room at the Mandarin Oriental, a 5-star, $400-a-night hotel where he was staying overnight to attend a conference. 

DailyMail.com can reveal that Weems, a mother herself who has spent 20 years working in childcare, drove from her home in Randallstown, Maryland, to DC in a frenzy after being told by one of the parents at her daycare that her husband had abused their child. 

It was the second accusation against him; the first shuttered Lil Kidz Kastle, the daycare Shanteari runs where her husband worked as a bus driver.

Shanteari Weems, 50, and her husband, James Weems Jr., 57. Today, she is in custody on intent to kill and weapons charges after shooting him, and he is in the hospital. He has been arrested with child sex offenses relating to alleged abuse at the daycare center his wife has run since 2015

Shanteari Weems, 50, and her husband, James Weems Jr., 57. Today, she is in custody on intent to kill and weapons charges after shooting him, and he is in the hospital. He has been arrested with child sex offenses relating to alleged abuse at the daycare center his wife has run since 2015

When Shanteari heard the second allegation, she drove 50 miles south to Washington to confront him in his room. Her lawyer claims he became violent, and that is when she fired a weapon at him in self-defense. It remains unclear whose weapon it was. 

Now, Shanteari’s lawyer and family are fighting for her to be freed, while James awaits his first court date on child sex abuse charges. 

‘She is in hell. 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. 

‘She has been doing this for 20 years. She built this business from scratch. Her whole life’s work is that mothers trust her and allow her to care for their kids while they go to work. To have this happen… and it is not even an employee. 

‘It’s her husband,’ attorney Tony Garcia told DailyMail.com. 

The first allegations were made against James Weems earlier this month. As a result, the daycare was closed abruptly. 

Weems is a 57-year-old retired cop who had been working in private security, and who had been helping at the daycare by driving a bus. 

Before the incident at the hotel on Thursday, the daycare center in Owings Mills, Maryland, was shut down by the first allegation against him. 

Weems is shown outside the daycare center in Owings Mills, Maryland. She was furious when the center was closed earlier this month after the first allegation against her husband

Weems is shown outside the daycare center in Owings Mills, Maryland. She was furious when the center was closed earlier this month after the first allegation against her husband

An interior of the Lil Kidz Kastle Child Development Center. Shanteari's attorney told DailyMail.com: 'She has been doing this for 20 years. She built this business from scratch. Her whole life's work is that mothers trust her and allow her to care for their kids while they go to work. To have this happen... and it is not even an employee. It's her husband'

An interior of the Lil Kidz Kastle Child Development Center. Shanteari’s attorney told DailyMail.com: ‘She has been doing this for 20 years. She built this business from scratch. Her whole life’s work is that mothers trust her and allow her to care for their kids while they go to work. To have this happen… and it is not even an employee. It’s her husband’

Weems runs the daycare center near Baltimore for infants up to kids of school age

Weems runs the daycare center near Baltimore for infants up to kids of school age 

It’s unclear whether all of the children involved are boys or girls but there are believed to be three separate allegations against Weems now. 

On Thursday, he was in DC and his hardworking wife, who also volunteers for a street-cleaning nonprofit, heard from another mother. 

‘She wanted to see him to ask him if it was true or not so she drove to DC. Now he is a retired marine, he is a former cop, he’s worked in executive security and he is armed. She went hoping that the allegation was not true. 

‘He responded violently to being accused and she had to defend herself.’ 

What exactly happened inside the room for the next hour is unclear. Police arrived after an alarm in the room was triggered. 

During a one-hour standoff inside, James cried out that he had been shot in the leg and in the head. 

The couple had been at the $400-a-night hotel in Washington DC for James, a retired cop, to attend an event

The couple had been at the $400-a-night hotel in Washington DC for James, a retired cop, to attend an event 

Daycare owner Shanteari Weems, 50, is shown being taken into custody on July 20 after shooting her husband in the head. She had just been told that he was molesting some of the kids in her daycare

Daycare owner Shanteari Weems, 50, is shown being taken into custody on July 20 after shooting her husband in the head. She had just been told that he was molesting some of the kids in her daycare

Shanteari started writing down notes which included her desire to ‘paralyze’ her husband. She said she wanted him to ‘pay’ for what he had done to the kids, and her only regret was ‘not putting a bullet through his head’. 

Eventually, she was arrested and he was taken to the hospital, where he remains with a broken femur. 

He is conscious and is expected to survive the incident, despite claiming to have been shot in the head. 

Shanteari’s friends and family are rallying behind her, vowing to fight for her freedom on social media and launching GoFundMe campaigns to pay her legal fees. 

‘We hope to get bail, that is our hope,’ her attorney said. She will appear in court on Friday. 

The details of the allegations against Weams remain scarce. Maryland Child Protective Services declined to comment on the case citing privacy laws. 

A spokesman for the Department of Education would not confirm when specifically it received complaints against Weams. 

Shanteari Weems, 50, is the owner of Lil Kidz Kastle in Owing Mills, Maryland

James Weems, pictured here, is due to be facing multiple counts of child sex abuse

Shanteari Weems, 50, is the owner of Lil Kidz Kastle in Owing Mills, Maryland

The Baltimore County Police Department said it had been investigating Weems since earlier this month. 

‘Baltimore County detectives began to investigate Weems earlier this month after they were notified of the abuse. Weems faces multiple charges. 

‘He currently remains hospitalized in police custody in Washington D.C. pending extradition.

‘Baltimore County detectives continue to work closely with detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department as well as members of the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Department of Human Services, Child Protective Services,’ a spokesman said. 

Meanwhile the woman’s friends are fighting for her to be freed. 

‘Shanny and I have been friends for 32 years… for the last few years she has supported my student-workers and Baltimore Clean Streets program. 

‘Shanny provided catered lunch and holiday stipends – $75/student-worker x 30 –  each of the last two years,’ Sean Stinnett, who runs the program, told DailyMail.com. 

Her adult children set up a GoFundMe account dedicated to raising money for her defense but it was torn down at the last minute.  

A GoFundMe page set up to pay for her defense raised $3,000 before the website took it down, and people are now inundating the daycare's Facebook page demanding for her to be released. Her next court appearance is on Friday.

A GoFundMe page set up to pay for her defense raised $3,000 before the website took it down, and people are now inundating the daycare’s Facebook page demanding for her to be released. Her next court appearance is on Friday.

source: dailymail.co.uk