Ethan Crumbley’s parents handed 10-15 years jail sentence
The parents of Ethan Crumbley, the Michigan teenager who perpetrated a tragic school shooting at Oxford High School near Detroit in November 2021, have received a significant prison sentence of 10 to 15 years.
Ethan was just 15 years old when he took the lives of four students. This case marks a grim milestone as James and Jennifer Crumbley become the first parents of a US school shooter to be convicted.
At the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, which marked the first time the couple appeared together in months, prosecutors pushed for a longer sentence than the recommended seven years.
Both James and Jennifer expressed remorse for their son’s actions, while their attorneys advocated for a lesser punishment.
The jurors in separate trials had previously found each parent guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier in the year.
Judge Cheryl Matthews emphasized the need for a harsher sentence, stating that it was necessary to serve as a deterrent and underscored the parents’ failure to intervene and prevent the tragedy.
She remarked, “They are not expected to be psychic. But these convictions are not about poor parenting. They concern acts that could have halted a runaway train… Opportunity knocked over and over again, louder and louder, and it was ignored.”
The Crumbleys may be eligible for parole after serving 10 years, but they cannot be imprisoned for more than 15 years if parole is denied.
Prosecutors had argued that the couple ignored clear signs of their son’s deteriorating mental health and even purchased the gun used in the attack.
On the day of the shooting, the Crumbleys left a school meeting about a disturbing drawing Ethan had made, choosing to go to work instead of taking him home.
School staff failed to inspect his backpack, which contained the firearm purchased by his parents. An independent investigation revealed numerous shortcomings within the school system, prompting the district to commit to reviewing and enhancing its practices and policies.
Ethan Crumbley’s parents handed 10-15 years jail sentence
