Jennifer Crumbley shoots her husband James Crumbley a glance during their sentencing hearing in the Oakland County courtroom of Cheryl Matthews on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. The Crumbleys were found guilty each on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
© Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK
(Pontiac, MI) – In a landmark case, the parents of a school shooter have been sentenced to prison. Both James and Jennifer Crumbley were sentenced to 10 to 15 years behind bars, after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in separate trials.
It was back in 2021 when their son Ethan Crumbley shot dead four of his classmates at Oxford High School, which is located north of Detroit. Although both parents expressed remorse ahead of sentencing, the judge opted to side with prosecutors who sought a harsher penalty. The Crumbley’s attorneys had requested time served be taken into consideration. According to the judge, the seriousness of the crimes warranted the longer prison term.
Jennifer Crumbley had said this could happen to any family. At one point during the trial she admitted she had wished her son killed her instead. The claim is that both parents ignored warning signs and didn’t do enough to ensure their son wasn’t a threat to others. This marks the first time parents of a school mass shooter have been held criminally responsible in this fashion.
