Mother of school shooter handed landmark involuntary manslaughter conviction

A Michigan jury has found a school shooter's mother guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of four students in 2021, Ian Woods reports

The mother of a 15-year-old boy who shot dead four students has become the first parent in the United States to be held responsible for the actions of a child carrying out a mass shooting, and been convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors said Jennifer Crumbley had a duty under state law to prevent her son, Ethan Crumbley, from harming others.

She was accused of failing to secure a gun and ammunition at home and not getting help to support her son's mental health.

In a journal found by police, Ethan Crumbley had written that his parents would not listen to his pleas for help.

"I have zero help for my mental problems and it's causing me to shoot up the... school," he wrote.

The four guilty verdicts - one for each student slain at Oxford High School - were returned after around 11 hours of deliberations.

Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first parents in the US to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child - the latter faces trial in March.

Craig Shilling, the father of one of the victims, Justin Shilling, said: "The cries have been heard, and I feel this verdict is gonna echo throughout every household in the country.

"I feel it's necessary, and I'm happy with the verdict. It's still a sad situation to be in. It's got to stop. It's an accountability, and this is what we've been asking for for a long time now."

Liz Dunning, Chief Development Officer from Brady - a gun violence prevention group - said the verdict should serve as a warning to Americans who have access to or sell guns.

She told ITV News: "What I hope it says is to the gun dealers in America that they should be really mindful because negligence cascades, unlawful behaviour cascades.

"And what that means is from the point of firearms sale you need to pay attention. If somebody is demonstrating signs that they're not competent or capable you need to ask questions and dig deeper."

She added: "Whether you are a parent, a community member or someone who is a seller or owner of firearms you need to be careful about who can access your firearms and who you're selling them to."

On the morning of November 30, 2021, staff members at Oxford High School raised concerns about a violent drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on Ethan Crumbley's mathematics homework.

Gun safety campaigner Liz Dunning told ITV News that firearms dealers in America 'should be really mindful' of who they sell guns to in the wake of Jennifer Crumbley's conviction

His parents were called into the school for a meeting with teachers, but they did not take their son home.

The school was so concerned about the boy that they advised that the Crumbleys get their son into counselling in the next 48 hours.

Just a few hours later, Ethan Crumbley pulled a handgun from his bag and shot 10 students and a teacher.

Four people were killed, while a further seven were wounded.

Jennifer Crumbley texted her son after the shooting, saying "Ethan, don't do it", Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said when charges were first filed against the couple in 2021.

In her closing argument on Friday, Ms McDonald said she filed the unprecedented charges because of the "unique, egregious" facts leading up to the massacre.

School officials insisted they would not have agreed to keep Ethan Crumbley on campus that day if his parents had shared information about the new gun, which the boy had referred to as his "beauty" on social media.

The words with the disturbing drawing said: "The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. The world is dead. My life is useless.

"He literally drew a picture of what he was going to do," Ms McDonald said. "It says, 'Help me'."

The maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years, but prosecutors may ask for consecutive sentences for the four convictions, which could mean a maximum of 60 years in prison.

Ethan Crumbley, now 17-years-old, pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism and is serving a life sentence.

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