School Mass Shooter’s Parents Sentenced to Prison

You failed as parents. The punishment that you face will never be enough. It will never bring her back.

In a Michigan courtroom, anguished parents speaking directly to the parents of their child’s killer.

It is devastating and heartbreaking that it doesn’t appear that either of you cherished or even wanted your son. But I wholeheartedly wanted and cherished mine.

Jennifer and James Crumbley, the first parents in the nation held criminally responsible for their son Ethan’s school shooting, today sentenced by a judge.

These convictions are not about poor parenting. These convictions confirm repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.

The Crumbleys each receiving 10 to 15 years in prison, the maximum requested by prosecutors and victims’ families.

We were good parents. We were the average family. We weren’t perfect, but we loved our son and each other tremendously.

My heart is really broken for everybody involved. I understand my words are not going to bring any comfort.

In two separate trials, first Jennifer, then James, they were found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter. One for each of their son’s four shooting victims, Oxford High School students, Madison Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hannah St. Juliana and Justin Shilling. Ethan Crumbley was 15 when he used a gun purchased by his parents to carry out the deadliest school shooting in Michigan’s history in 2021.

I am a really bad person. I have done terrible things that no one should ever do.

Ethan later pleaded guilty to killing his four classmates and was sentenced to life without parole. Jennifer’s trial began in January.

Jennifer Crumbley didn’t pull the trigger that day, but she is responsible for those deaths.

Prosecutors ticking through the many opportunities they say she had to prevent the deadly shooting.

That’s what this case is about. It’s about Jennifer Crumbley’s willful disregard of the danger that she knew of.

Painting a picture of what they claimed was a negligent mother more consumed with horses and extramarital affairs than her son’s deteriorating mental health. In journal entries shown in courts, Ethan wrote, “I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the school.” And, “I want help, but my parents don’t listen to me, so I can’t get any help.” The defense countered that Jennifer was like any other busy mom and the blame laid elsewhere.

She’s not a perfect person or a perfect parent.

Do you swear or affirm the testimony you’re about to give is the truth, so help you God?

I do.

Jennifer taking the stand in her own defense saying, before the shooting, she had no reason to believe her son was dangerous.

Of course, I look back after this all happened and I’ve asked myself if I would’ve done anything differently and I wouldn’t have. I wish he would’ve killed us instead.

Surveillance video played in court shows both Crumbleys at the school for a meeting with their son and a counselor after a teacher discovered Ethan’s disturbing drawings. That meeting lasting just 11 minutes, no one checking the shooter’s backpack for a gun. And within hours, Ethan would open fire at the school. James Crumbley calling 911 when he discovered the handgun he’d bought for Ethan was missing.

I think my son took the gun. I don’t know if it’s him, I don’t know what’s going on.

What’s your son’s name?

I’m really freaking out.

At his trial, James’ attorney argued he couldn’t have known Ethan was danger to anyone until it was too late. Today, James and Jennifer nearly emotionless as the judge announced their sentences.

I just can’t go over the fact that this tragedy was completely avoidable.

I believe your actions cannot even be confined into the word failure. Your mistakes created our everlasting nightmare.