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Parents knew Oxford High suspect was troubled, charged with manslaughter, officials say
Oakland County's prosecutor has filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the suspect's parents in the Oxford High School shooting.
www.detroitnews.com
Pontiac — Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald on Friday filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the suspect's parents in the Oxford High School shooting.
Jennifer and James Crumbley — the parents of 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, who is accused of killing four of his classmates and wounding seven others — were charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of Hana St. Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; and Justin Shilling, 17.
“These charges are intended to hold individuals who contributed to this tragedy accountable, but also to send a message,” McDonald said at a press conference. “We need to do better in this country. We need to say enough is enough. For our kids, teachers and all of us.”
McDonald said Ethan Crumbley was with father James when the father bought the Sig Sauer Model SP 2022 9 mm semi-automatic pistol at Acme Shooting Goods in Oxford on Nov. 26.
On Nov. 29, the day before the shooting, a teacher at Oxford High School reported Ethan was searching for ammunition on his phone, she said. The school reached out to Jennifer Crumbley, but never heard back from the parents, the prosecutor said.
Jennifer texted Ethan about it, McDonald said: “LOL, I’m not gonna get mad at you, you have to learn to not get caught.”
At a noon court proceeding in 52nd District Court in Rochester Hills, Lt. Tim Willis of Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said the parents knew their son was troubled and were told to get their son help.
The mother texted her son after learning about the shooting: "Ethan, don't do it," Willis added.
After a teacher found a disconcerting note and drawing, the Crumbleys were summoned to the school. But by the time they got there, Ethan had allegedly crossed out some of the notes that were most disturbing, including the words “blood everywhere” and “my life is useless," McDonald said.
Parents are now missing. Police cannot find them. They were supposed to be arraigned at 4pm eastern.At the meeting with the Crumbleys, the parents were told they were required to get Ethan into counseling within 48 hours. But the shooting took place a short time later.
“Both James and Jennifer failed to ask their son if he had a gun with him, or where his gun was located, or to inspect his backpack for the presence of a gun,” McDonald said.
After the meeting, Ethan Crumbley was returned to class, along with his backpack — the backpack allegedly used to carry the gun, McDonald said. Ethan went to the bathroom eventually, came out and started shooting, law enforcement officials have said.