Mother of Michigan school shooter found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in unprecedented case

The mother of a Michigan school shooter was convicted on Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter in an “unprecedented” case, NBC News reports.

A jury found Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of Ethan Crumbley, guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter — one for each of the victims in the November 2021 shooting at Oxford High School.

Ethan Crumbley, 17, pleaded guilty as an adult to murder, terrorism and other charges and was sentenced in December to life in prison without parole.

His mother faces up to 15 years in prison per count. She is set to be sentenced on April 9.

In an effort to determine to what extent a parent should be held accountable for their child’s actions, NBC News reported, the jury examined more than 400 pieces of evidence and heard from more than 20 witnesses.

Prosecutors sought to portray Crumbley as a neglectful mother who focused more on her hobbies and an extramarital affair than her son, according to the report. Neither Crumbley nor her husband, James, who gifted their son a semi-automatic handgun days before the shooting, stored the weapon properly, prosecutors said.

The Crumbleys were summoned to school on the day of the shooting because of a disturbing drawing of a gun. Neither parent told officials he had access to a weapon nor took their son home.

James Crumbley is expected to stand trial next month on the same involuntary manslaughter charges.