In the entire history of school shootings in the United States, never once has a parent of a school shooter been found complicit in their child’s crime. However, in a twist of fate, the jury made a historic conviction and found Jennifer Crumbley, mother to infamous school shooter Ethan Crumbley, guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter resulting in up to 15 years in prison. Each convicted count signifies the death of her son’s victims, four high school students who were brutally shot and killed at Oxford High School in Michigan two years ago.
On November 30, 2021, 15-year-old Ethan Robert Crumbley, armed with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, took the lives of four students, and scarred hundreds for life. Later, in 2023, he would be sentenced to life in December without any possibility of parole. However, justice had not yet been fully sought. Prosecutors wanted to prove Jennifer Crumbley was guilty of involuntary manslaughter after collecting evidence that she could have prevented the shooting, had it not been for her neglectful attitude towards her son. Her son claimed to be struggling with mental illness and hallucinations, yet his mother remained blissfully oblivious to his situation.
The prosecutors claimed Jennifer Crumbley was an absent mother and wife due to her love affair and made reckless decisions, such as giving her son the very same handgun he would later use for the shooting. During that same year, Jennifer initiated an illicit love affair with long-time friend Brian Meloche. He later took to the stand and testified about his affair, as prosecutors grilled him in an attempt to confirm that the affair had kept Jennifer from paying attention to her son.
Overall, her lack of action and response to her son’s glaringly evident depression and violent tendencies was enough to incriminate her. However, rather than conceding to the evidence presented in court and sincerely apologizing for her unknowing role in the school shooting, Jennifer Crumbley took to the stand, looked the jury in the eye, and said she would not have done anything differently. Defense attorney Shannon Smith backed her up in her final statement as she pleaded, “I am asking that you find Jennifer Crumbley not guilty, not just for Jennifer Crumbley, but for every mother who’s out there doing the best they can and could easily be in her shoes.”
None of the jury seemed to buy this act as they announced the verdict of Jennifer Crumbley’s guilt. Families of the shot victims wept, believing this to be an act of justice and accountability. Craig Shilling, the father of victim Justin Shilling, teared up after the courtroom as he told reporters that they had been asking for accountability and “this is one step towards that.”
Though we can not bring back the priceless lives of Justin Shilling, Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, and Hana St. Juliana, we have the power to keep the lives still among us safe. Beyond the courtroom, this verdict serves as a call for parental responsibility and vigilance. This verdict ultimately foreshadows a new tradition of accountability enforced upon parents. Being aware of your kids not only protects them, but also protects others around them.
While Jennifer Crumbley completely disregarded the warning and foreshadowing of her son’s actions, her story does not have to be the story of millions of parents across the country.
