THE mother of the Oxford High School shooter, Jennifer Crumbley, has warned other parents that a situation similar to hers could happen to them.
During her sentencing on Tuesday, Jennifer spoke for several minutes about her involvement as a mother in the Oxford High School mass shooting.
In a historic ruling, James and Jennifer Crumbley were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors argued that they could have prevented the Oxford High School shooting carried out by their son, Ethan, in November 2021.
Four students, Madisyn Baldwin, 16; Tate Myre, 16; Justin Shilling, 17; and Hana St. Juliana, 14; were killed in the 2021 massacre, and six others were injured.
Jennifer's son, Ethan, who was 15 when he carried out the tragedy, has already been sentenced to life in prison without the chance for parole.
Both parents were sentenced to 10 to 15 years behind bars on Tuesday.
Prior to being sentenced, Jennifer told the judge she'd been locked in a cell for 23 hours a day for over 38 months and hopes to get a "fair and just sentence."
"I sit here today to express my deepest sorrow," said Jennifer. "There's nothing I can say to ease the pain and suffering."
"We felt confident trusting the professionals' advice to let him stay in school that day," Jennifer told the courtroom. "We were never asked to take him home that day."
The school shooter's mother said her original answer about not doing anything differently before the shooting has now changed.
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"With the benefit of hindsight and the information I have now, my answer would be drastically different," Jennifer said.
The evidence she heard in court has changed her opinion of her son.
"He was not the son I knew when I woke up on November 30. The Ethan I know was a good quiet kid," she said.
"My husband and I used to say we had the perfect kid. I truly believed that," she said. "We were the average family. We loved our son."
James also spoke before he was sentenced.
"I want to do something I've never been able to do until now," James said.
He continued, "As a parent, our biggest fear is losing our child or our children. I understand my words are not going to bring any comfort.
"I understand that they're not going to relieve any pain. And quite frankly they probably just don't believe me.
"Please know I am truly very sorry."
James too said he would've done things differently had he known his son had all of these issues.
"My heart goes out to every single one of you. It really does," he said.
James also asked the judge for a "fair and just" sentence.
After he finished speaking, his attorney said there were no winners in this situation, saying, "Everyone has lost."
Several victim's family members gave emotional impact statements during the sentencing.
Please know I am truly very sorry.
James Crumbley
Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of Oxford High School shooting victim Madisyn Baldwin, was the first to speak.
"The lack of compassion you have shown is outright disgusting," Nicole said in court. "I will hurt for eternity. As her mom, I didn't protect her."
"While you were hiding, I was planning her [Madison's] funeral."
Hana St. Juliana's father was also among the group of victims' family members who spoke.
"They chose to stay quiet. They chose to ignore the warning signs, and now as we've heard through all of the objections, they continue to choose to blame everyone but themselves," he said.
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Tate Myre's father said he wasn't going to celebrate the Crumbleys' conviction and instead wanted the tragedy to become an opportunity for change.
"We are ready for our government to perform an investigation on this tragedy," he said, adding that, "I fight for everybody in this room."
Oxford High School mass shooting timeline
On November 30, 2021, a mass shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan, occurred. The shooting left four students dead and seven others injured. Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 at the time, was arrested and sentenced to life in prison for the crime.
Here is a timeline of the Oxford High School mass shooting:
- November 26, 2021: Dad James Crumbley purchases a 9mm semi-automatic gun for his son Ethan at the Acme Shooting Range in Oxford.
- November 27, 2021: Mom Jennifer Crumbley took the then-15-year-old to a shooting range that weekend.
- November 29, 2021: A teacher notices Ethan Crumbley is conducting online searches for ammunition with his cell phone during class and reports it. School officials notify Ethan's parents but fail to discipline their son as Jennifer Crumbley laughs off the incident.
- November 30, 2021: Ethan Crumbley walked into Oxford High School with a 9mm handgun in his bookbag and opened fire at around 12:51 pm, killing four of his classmates and wounding six others.
- December 1, 2021: Ethan Crumbley is charged as an adult with murder and terrorism.
- December 3, 2021: Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald announced charges of involuntary manslaughter against James and Jennifer Crumbley, but authorities are unable to locate them.
- December 4, 2021: James and Jennifer Crumbley are arrested after authorities found them hiding in a Detroit art studio with new cellphones and $6,000 in cash. The couple pleads not guilty to all charges and are held without bail.
- January 24, 2022: Oxford High School reopens, nearly two months after the attack.
- October 24, 2022: Ethan Crumbley, who is 16 at the time, pleads guilty to terrorism and first-degree murder.
- December 9, 2023: A judge sentences Ethan Crumbley to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
- January 23, 2024: The trial of Jennifer Crumbley begins.
- February 6, 2024: Jennifer Crumbley is convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, marking the first time a parent was prosecuted and found guilty in connection to a mass shooting committed by their child.
- March 5, 2024: James Crumbley's trial begins, nearly a month after his wife's conviction.
- March 14, 2024: A jury finds James Crumbley guilty on all counts.
- April 9, 2024: James and Jennifer Crumbley are sentenced to 10-15 years in prison.