Michigan Jury Finds Mom Jennifer Crumbley Guilty Of Involuntary Manslaughter After Son Killed 4 In School Shooting

A Michigan jury has convicted Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of a school shooter, of involuntary manslaughter. This trial sought to determine her level of responsibility in the tragic deaths of four students in 2021.

Prosecutors argued that Crumbley displayed gross negligence when she failed to inform Oxford High School that her family possessed firearms, such as a 9 mm handgun that her son, Ethan Crumbley, used at a shooting range just days before the attack on November 30, 2021.

The jury, comprised of six men and six women, some of whom were gun owners or had grown up around guns, commenced deliberations on Monday morning.

According to prosecutors, Crumbley was legally obligated under Michigan law to prevent harm caused by her 15-year-old son. Prosecutors said that she failed to secure the gun and ammunition in their home and neglected to seek help for her son’s mental health.

On the morning of November 30, 2021, Oxford High School staff members became alarmed by a violent drawing found on Ethan’s math assignment. The drawing depicted a gun, a bullet and a wounded man. Despite the concerns raised, he was permitted to remain in school after a meeting with his parents, who did not take him home. A few hours later, Ethan retrieved a handgun from his backpack and opened fire, injuring 10 students and a teacher, resulting in the death of four of his peers.

The gun used in the shooting was a Sig Sauer 9 mm, purchased by his father, James Crumbley, just four days earlier. Crumbley had taken her son to a shooting range that same weekend.

Ethan, now 17, pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism charges and is currently serving a life sentence. Prosecutors were not obligated to call him as a witness to support their case against Crumbley.

In last week’s trial, Crumbley’s defense argued that her son could potentially provide helpful testimony. However, the judge prohibited his testimony after Ethan’s attorneys invoked his right to remain silent. He may still appeal his sentence.

Throughout the trial, Crumbley testified that she believed it was her husband’s responsibility to keep track of the gun. She also claimed that she observed no signs of mental distress in her son, and emphasized that they had open lines of communication. However, in a journal discovered by the police, Ethan wrote that his pleas for help went unheard by his parents.

“I have zero help for my mental problems, and it’s causing me to shoot up the… school,” he wrote.

Jennifer, 45, and James, 47, are the first parents in the United States to face charges in connection with a mass school shooting committed by their child. James’ trial is scheduled for March.