By Lucy Caulkett-
Jennifer Crumbley,-the mother of Ethan Crumbley- the teenager responsible for a mass shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, is set to go on trial this week, facing charges of involuntary manslaughter.
Crumbly (pictured) and her husband, James Crumbley, are the first parents to be charged in connection with a mass school shooting in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that the Crumbleys gave their son access to a gun, ignored his mental health needs, and disregarded warning signs, leading up to the tragic events of November 30, 2021.
The couple faces four charges of involuntary manslaughter each. While Jennifer Crumbley’s trial is expected to begin this week in Oakland County court near Detroit, James Crumbley will face a separate trial in March.
The charges stem from the parents providing Ethan, then 15 years old, with a semi-automatic handgun that James Crumbley purchased just four days before the shooting.
The firearm was presented as a Christmas gift. Jennifer Crumbley took her son to a shooting range and shared the experience on Instagram as a “mom and son day.”
Prosecutors claim that the parents ignored warning signs, including violent drawings presented by Ethan at school on the day of the attack.
A day prior to the shooting, the school informed Jennifer Crumbley that Ethan had been looking at ammunition on his phone. She responded with forgiveness, stating, “I’m not mad. You have to learn not to get caught.”
The day before the shooting, the parents were summoned to Oxford High School after Ethan’s disturbing drawings and cries for help were discovered on a math assignment.
Despite the school’s recommendation for therapy, the Crumbleys chose not to remove Ethan from school and left after less than 30 minutes.
Ethan Crumbley was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism, in December 2021. During the sentencing, he claimed his parents were unaware of his plans and, therefore, not at fault.