Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford High School shooter, was convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday, in a landmark case that held her accountable for her role in the 2021 shooting that killed four students and injured seven others.
The jury deliberated for about 11 hours over two days before reaching the verdict, which was announced in the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Michigan.
Crumbley showed no emotion as the verdict was read, while some of the victims’ families cried and hugged each other. She was immediately taken into custody and will be sentenced on April 9th. She faces up to 15 years in prison for each count.
Jennifer Crumbley, 44, is the first parent in American history to be tried for manslaughter in connection with a school shooting carried out by their child. Her husband, James Crumbley, 46, faces the same charges and will have a separate trial in March. Both of them have pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution argued that Jennifer and her husband were negligent and reckless in buying a gun for their son, Ethan Crumbley, 15, four days before the shooting, and failing to secure it or the ammunition at home. They also said the parents ignored multiple red flags that their son was planning a violent attack, such as his disturbing drawings, online searches, and behavior at school.
The defense claimed that Jennifer Crumbley was a loving and caring mother who did not know that her son was capable of such a horrific act. They said she was unaware that her son had access to the gun, which was supposed to be a Christmas present, and that she did not see his drawings or online searches.
They also said she followed the school’s instructions and trusted their judgment when they allowed her son to return to class on the day of the shooting.
The shooting occurred on November 30th, 2021, at Oxford High School, about 40 miles north of Detroit. Ethan Crumbley opened fire with a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun that his father had bought for him at a gun store on Black Friday. He killed four students and also wounded seven others, including a teacher.
Ethan Crumbley has already been sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism.
