- Summary Points
- Jennifer Crumbley, mother of the Michigan school shooter, is charged with involuntary manslaughter.
- School officials were concerned about Ethan Crumbley’s mental health but didn’t see him as a threat.
- The parents declined to take their son home after a meeting about a violent drawing he made.
In a groundbreaking case, Jennifer Crumbley, aged 45, stands trial charged with involuntary manslaughter following the tragic school shooting by her son, Ethan Crumbley, at Oxford High School, Michigan. This charge stems from the prosecutors’ claim that both she and her husband were grossly negligent in failing to address their son’s mental health issues and making a gun accessible at home.
Nick Ejak, the school official in charge of discipline at Oxford High, testified that while Ethan’s mental health was a concern, there was no perceived threat to others that warranted a search of his backpack. This testimony followed a crucial meeting on the day of the shooting, attended by the parents, Ethan, and a school counselor, triggered by a teacher’s discovery of a disturbing drawing made by Ethan. The drawing depicted a gun, a bullet, and alarming phrases like “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. The world is dead. My life is useless.”
Ejak found it peculiar and concerning that Jennifer and James Crumbley did not take their son home after the meeting. Just hours later, Ethan used a 9mm gun from his backpack to carry out the shooting, resulting in four deaths.
Jennifer Crumbley’s former boss, Andrew Smith, testified about the family-first work environment, countering any suggestion that work obligations might have prevented her from attending to the situation. Smith also recounted Jennifer’s reaction upon learning about the shooting, noting her immediate concern about her employment and the reputation damage from her son’s actions.
The jury was presented with police photos of the Crumbley home, including Ethan’s bedroom, which displayed shooting range targets and an empty gun safe. Significant is the fact that the parents did not inform the school about a gun purchased for Ethan just days before the shooting, nor about his earlier hallucinations.
The trial, closely watched nationwide, marks the first instance in the U.S. where parents are being charged in connection with a mass school shooting committed by their child. Ethan Crumbley, now 17, is already serving a life sentence for the shooting. Jennifer’s husband, James Crumbley, aged 47, is set to stand trial in March.
This case has sparked a broader discussion about parental responsibility and the role of mental health awareness in preventing such tragic incidents. The outcome of this trial could potentially set a precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future.
https://news.yahoo.com/official-found-strange-michigan-school-174736934.html