PONTIAC, Michigan – The mother of a teenage boy who carried out a deadly school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, took the stand for the second day at her trial on Friday. Jennifer Crumbley, 45, and her husband James Crumbley, 47, are facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the tragedy.
Their son, 17-year-old Ethan Crumbley, was sentenced to life in prison for the shooting at Oxford High School in November 2021, which claimed the lives of four students. During the trial, it was revealed that Jennifer had been involved in an affair with a long-time friend, Brian Meloche, at the time when Ethan carried out the shooting.
It was also reported that Jennifer and Brian, a firefighter chief, had engaged in organizing sex parties at hotels, often through a swingers app called Adult Friend Finder. According to prosecutors, they would arrange “meet-ups” with strangers at hotels after work.
Prosecutors argued that Jennifer failed to take simple steps to prevent the tragedy, despite knowing that her son was struggling mentally. They claimed that only she and her husband could have known the danger that Ethan posed to others and that he had access to a gun.
However, Jennifer’s defense attorney argued that she had no way of knowing that her son would commit such a heinous act. She emphasized that it was James Crumbley, not Jennifer, who was responsible for ensuring that a trigger lock was on the gun Ethan used in the shooting.
The trial has brought to light the complex and tragic circumstances surrounding the school shooting, raising important questions about parental responsibility and the signs of mental distress in teenagers. As the proceedings continue, the case has sparked important conversations about how to prevent similar tragedies in the future, shedding light on the need for support and intervention for struggling youth.