Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of violence. Reader discretion is advised.
Jennifer Crumbley is the mother of Michigan’s Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley. Jennifer and her husband James Crumbley were facing multiple charges concerning the case. Prosecutors, according to BBC, accused both Jennifer and James of being ignorant of the teen’s deteriorating mental health and giving him access to the gun he used to carry out the attack.
The outlet reported that earlier this year, in January, a jury convicted Jennifer of manslaughter. Two months later, in March, James stood a separate trial, which resulted in the Oxford High School shooting’s third conviction. Previously, in October 2022, Ethan had pleaded guilty to all the charges he was facing. These included four counts of first-degree murder, one count of terrorism causing death, and 19 other charges.
According to CNN, Ethan Crumbley received life in prison without the possibility of parole in December 2023. His parents’ sentencing occurred on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. The pair received 10 to 15 years in prison each.
Per IMDb, Oxford Strong is a documentary that covers the Oxford High School shooting. The synopsis reads, “We take an inside look at the beautiful little town of Oxford, Michigan; where a school shooting occurred on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at Oxford High School. Four students with bright futures and their entire lives ahead of them, were killed and several others were seriously injured.”
Jennifer Crumbley: What was Ethan Crumbley’s mother convicted of?
Jurors found Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, responsible for the case. According to CNN and BBC, a jury convicted Jennifer Crumbley on four counts of involuntary manslaughter in January 2024. A separate jury then convicted James Crumbley on the same charges in March of this year.
Recently, on April 9, both James and Jennifer received 10 to 15 years in prison each. The duo has already served over two years in custody after their arrest, which occurred in the days after the incident.
According to ABC News, Ethan admitted to a few crucial facts during his hearing when the teen pleaded guilty in October 2022. He claimed to have asked his father, James, to buy the semiautomatic 9-millimeter Sig Sauer handgun, which he then used to carry out the attack. The teen also admitted to giving James the money to buy the weapon.
The New York Times reported that 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley carried out the Oxford High School shooting on November 30, 2021. Authorities, using surveillance footage, later confirmed that Ethan fired at least 30 rounds within five minutes, killing four students and injuring six students as well as a teacher.
On the day of the shooting, Ethan’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, had a meeting at the school. The meeting was regarding disturbing signs the teen had been showing. These signs included the drawing of a gun and a person who had been shot. One of his teachers reportedly found these along with notes, saying, “Blood everywhere,” and “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.”
BBC stated James and Jennifer returned to work and did not take Ethan home after the said meeting. Prosecutors accused the pair of being ignorant about their son’s mental health issues. They also called the accused negligent for buying him the gun and failing to store it safely.
Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews sentenced James and Jennifer Crumbley, per CNN. Before handing down the terms, Judge Matthews said their convictions proved their “acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.” She also called out the couple for “repeatedly ignoring things that make a reasonable person feel the hair on the back of their neck stand up.”
Local 4’s special on the Oxford High School shooting titled Oxford Strong: One Year Later is available on YouTube.
