After serving practically three years in federal jail for capturing her husband after studying he had sexually abused kids at her daycare in Baltimore, Shanteari Younger says she is able to transfer ahead.
Launched in June from FMC Lexington and absolutely launched from supervision in December, the 53-year-old former Baltimore County daycare proprietor is opening up about what comes subsequent.
Younger first made headlines in 2022 when she shot her then-husband in his lodge room on the Mandarin Oriental Resort (which has since been rebranded because the Black-owned Salamander) in Washington, DC, after discovering that he had sexually abused a toddler who attended Lil Kidz Kastle Daycare Middle. She later served a federal sentence related to the capturing. Whereas she was incarcerated, she divorced him and in 2024 testified towards him at trial, marking the primary time she had seen him because the incident.
Her ex-husband, James Weems, 60, of Randallstown, was convicted in Baltimore County Circuit Court docket on a number of expenses associated to the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old lady who attended the daycare. At sentencing in April 2025, Circuit Choose Michael J. Finifter mentioned he believed Weems used his expertise as a retired Baltimore Police officer to “perpetrate these heinous crimes.”
Even together with her jail sentence behind her, Younger’s authorized challenges aren’t absolutely resolved. She is called as a defendant in three pending civil lawsuits tied to the daycare, which has since closed. Chatting with the Baltimore Banner, she mentioned, whereas she has no regrets, she doesn’t need others to observe her path or perform vigilante justice, noting that her complete life modified in 72 hours.
Nonetheless, she says she is decided to show a devastating chapter into one thing constructive.
Younger is advocating for laws that will require little one care suppliers to finish particular coaching centered on figuring out, stopping, and reporting abuse. The measure was launched by Sean Stinnett, a Democrat from Baltimore.
She additionally plans to launch a nonprofit, Opened Umbrellas 4 Lil Kidz LLC, to help kids who’ve skilled sexual abuse and their households. As well as, she is working to complete a e-book about her expertise titled “My Protector,” which she hopes to finish this spring.
“I wish to present those that one thing catastrophic can occur to you, however you may rebuild and you’ll transfer on,” Younger mentioned. “I’m attempting to alter this right into a constructive state of affairs and assist folks.”
