The Case Against the Mother of the Michigan School Shooter Has Been Decided

(NationalUSNews.com) — On November 30, 2021, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley took a 9mm semi-automatic handgun to school and ended the lives of 4 fellow students, injuring 6 other students and a teacher at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, Michigan. He was charged as an adult and is now serving his life imprisonment without the possibility of parole at the Thumb Correctional Facility, which has a unit for younger offenders who have been charged as adults. He is 17 years old now and will likely be transferred as he ages out.

Ethan’s parents, Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley, have been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter for their failure to stop their son from committing his crimes. This is the first time the parents of a mass shooter have been held legally responsible for the harm caused by their children. Unable to pay the $500,000 bond, both Crumbley parents have been imprisoned while awaiting trial for more than 2 years.

Jennifer and James are being tried separately. On Tuesday, February 6, Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter after 11 hours of deliberation. Prosecutor Karen McDonald had brought to the court’s attention the fact that Jennifer had been aware that the guy was not properly stored, that Ethan had access to ammunition, and that he was proficient with the gun. Her Instagram post showcasing her mother and son outing to the gun range to try out the gun they had given to Ethan as a Christmas present just days before the shooting was used as evidence for that.

Her defense team’s argument that Jennifer had not been aware of Ethan’s plans may have been convincing to the jury if she and her husband hadn’t been called to the school the day of the shooting regarding disturbing violent imagery and notes he’d made on some math work in class. The prosecution pointed out that he had indicated his plans on his schoolwork, yet his parents had not taken him home that day after they had met with school officials. The jury was apparently so disturbed that, upon being asked if she would have done anything differently that day, Jennifer said she wouldn’t have. She also said she wished Ethan had killed her and her husband instead of his classmates. Her sentencing court date is April 19.