Michigan School Shooter’s Parents Sentenced: Up to 15 Years in Prison

The mother and father of the Michigan teen responsible for a devastating school shooting, resulting in the loss of four classmates, received sentences of 10 to 15 years in prison after being convicted of murder. Jennifer and James Crumbly, parents of Ethan Crumbly, faced the sentencing following poignant statements from several victims’ parents in an Oakland County courtroom.

Nicole Beausoleil, mother of 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin, tearfully expressed her grief, stating, “Your son killed my daughter, and so did you both.” James Crumbley stayed stoic as Jennifer bowed her head

Ethan Crumbly, 15, pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and related charges in the 2021 Oxford High School shooting. In December 2022, he received a sentence of life imprisonment without parole.

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In her address to the court before sentencing, Jennifer Crumbley, 46, expressed deep grief and claimed she had no prior indication of her son’s capacity for such violence. “My husband and I used to say that our baby was perfect. I believed that,” she lamented.

James Crumbley, 47, also apologized to the court, saying, “I’m sorry for your loss as a result of what my son did. My heart goes out to every one of you.”

 

During the trial, prosecutors argued that the parents were criminally negligent for providing their son with a gun as a Christmas gift and for ignoring signs of his deteriorating mental health and susceptibility to violence. The defense teams countered that the parents couldn’t foresee their son’s actions.

The Crumbleys’ trial is groundbreaking, marking the first time parents face murder charges linked to their child’s school shooting. Advocates view it as a pivotal move in holding gun-owning parents responsible for school violence, supported by research showing that 75% of school shooters access weapons at home.

Days before the tragedy, James Crumbley gifted Ethan a 9mm handgun. Ignoring warnings of violence in Ethan’s schoolwork that morning, they delayed counseling and didn’t check his bag or gun access.

Ethan’s return to class culminated in the tragic shooting, underscoring the profound impact of parental decisions.

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