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Shanteari Weems, 50, the owner of Lil' Kidz Kastle Daycare Center in Owings Mills, Md., recently opened up about shooting her husband, James Weems Jr, 57. 

The incident occurred at the luxury Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C., where the couple was staying. Shanteari confronted him about allegations of child sexual abuse made against him by parents of children who attended her daycare center. 

In August Shanteari pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and carrying a pistol without a license.

Superior Court Judge Michael O'Keefe sentenced her to a four-year sentence. The prosecutors had recommended two years in a plea deal. Shanteari and her attorneys were unhappy that Judge O'Keefe doubled her sentence. And insisted she serves 4-years in prison. This was two years more than the prosecutors asked for.

There is some concern that she may well be serving more time than her husband who is facing charges of child sexual abuse.

"Despite my surroundings, I'm doing OK," Shanteari told the local outlet WUSA9 "I have a lot of supporters and people who uplift me and help me survive." 

She filed for divorce in February and plans to start a nonprofit organization upon her release from jail.

Child abuse scandal

While she is sorry for her actions, she will not apologize to her husband. And she is clear that "I will apologize when he apologizes to those children." 

James Weems Jr. retired from the Baltimore police force in 2005. And worked as a bus driver at Lil' Kidz Kastle for two years. 

He now faces over 30 counts of child sexual abuse and assault charges related to at least four alleged victims, according to court files.

He is reportedly being held without bond until his pending trial in May.

She drank after 20-years sober before shooting her husband

Shanteari Weems said that she contemplated killing herself after she "trusted the wrong person." 

She had been sober for 20 years. And she picked up a drink. And confronted her husband and shot him.

When the mother of a child from her daycare told her that James was responsible for abusing children. Shanteari finally knew it was true.

"I felt like the blood had just drained out of my body because ... it was my husband," Shanteari said. 

"I think about that child all the time. I think about all the children, all the time." 

Shanteari’s attorney Tony Garcia said that "She was confronted with a situation where a child that she had watched take their first steps, go to the first day of [school], learn how to ride a bike, grow up in front of them – she had this parent come to her and broke her whole world." 

The harsh reality of child abuse does long-term damage. And it takes an emotional toll on victims, their families and people like Shanteari.