A jury found Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of a school shooter in Oxford, Michigan, guilty on four counts of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday.
Crumbley was convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter to represent all four victims killed by her son, Ethan, at Oxford High School in November 2021, according to NBC News. Her conviction may lead to up to 15 years imprisonment and she is set to be sentenced on April 9.
The jury’s decision set a precedent on whether a shooter’s parents can be held accountable in these situations, the outlet reported.
Her now 17-year-old son pleaded guilty as an adult to first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree murder, homicide, seven counts of assault with intent to murder and firearm felonies and terrorism causing death.
Jennifer Crumbley was convicted on Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter, becoming the first parent in the US to be held criminally responsible after their child carried out a mass shooting.https://t.co/iyze7VK96p
— Jake Wilkins (@JakeWilkns) February 6, 2024
Crumbley was tried for purchasing the handgun used in the deadly school shooting, according to NBC News. The prosecution portrayed her as a neglectful mother who gave more attention at the time to her extramarital affair than to her son.
Her defense attorney, Shannon Smith, said it was James Crumbley, the shooter’s father, who took responsibility for properly storing the handgun and that the teenager’s mother was not informed of any possible warning signs, NBC News reported. The school allegedly knew Ethan had trouble paying attention in class, which reportedly remained unbeknownst to Crumbley. (RELATED: REPORT: Suspected Oxford High School Shooter Ethan Crumbley To Plead ‘Not Guilty’)
Crumbley took the stand in her own defense during the trial and said her son became “depressed” about his potential future after high school, the outlet reported. She reportedly said his mental health did not appear to be a cause of concern and it did not occur to her that he possibly needed to be evaluated by a professional.
The 47-year-old mother told the jury she never believed her son could be capable of such violence, but assured she is “not a failure as a parent,” according to NBC News.
The teen’s father is expected to stand trial next month on the same charges, the outlet reported.
A jury sentenced Ethan to a life sentence without parole in December over the deaths of Hana St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myre, 16, Justin Shilling, 17, and Madisyn Baldwin, 17.