PONTIAC, Mich. – The mother of a Michigan school shooter took the stand in her defense, denying any responsibility for the deaths of four students but expressing a wish that her son would have “killed us instead.” Jennifer Crumbley, 45, and her husband James, 47, are accused of making a gun accessible at home and not addressing their son’s mental care. They are the first parents in the U.S. to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child.
Ethan Crumbley, their 15-year-old son at the time, pulled a handgun from his backpack and shot 11 people on Nov. 30, 2021, killing four. The shooting occurred after school staff summoned his parents to discuss a violent drawing on a math assignment. The Crumbleys declined to take him home, and the shooting ensued.
During her testimony, Jennifer Crumbley rejected blame for the gun used by her son Ethan and denied claims that she ignored his mental health. She spoke of the challenges of parenting and expressed disbelief that her child would be capable of harming others. “As a parent you spend your whole life trying to protect your child from other dangers. You never would think you have to protect your child from harming someone else. That’s what blew my mind,” she told the jury.
The prosecution presented evidence of text messages from Ethan expressing mental health struggles and distressing journal entries. However, Jennifer Crumbley maintained that she saw no signs of severe mental health issues in her son. She also shifted responsibility for the gun to her husband, James, stating that she did not feel comfortable being in charge of it.
Throughout her two-hour testimony, Crumbley appeared calm and composed, a sharp contrast to her emotional reactions when facing evidence presented by the prosecution. Despite the prosecution’s claims, she denied any involvement in buying or storing the handgun used in the shooting.
Amid the trial, Jennifer Crumbley apologized to the jury for her emotional state and insisted that she had no role in handling or storing the gun. She claimed that the gun was kept in a locked box with a key inside a beer stein.
The defense lawyer, Shannon Smith, made a request for Ethan Crumbley to appear in court to be challenged about his journal and other evidence, but the judge declined, noting that the teen’s lawyers indicated he would invoke his right to remain silent. Ethan Crumbley, now 17, is serving a life sentence that will likely be appealed.
The tragic case of the Michigan school shooting has brought to light the crucial role of parental responsibility in recognizing and addressing mental health issues in young people. The outcomes of this case may have far-reaching effects on how such situations are handled in the future.