Jennifer Crumbley (born 6 June 1976, Age: 47 years old) is the mother of Ethan Crumbley, the 15-year-old who killed four students and injured seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan on November 30, 2021. She and her husband, James Crumbley, are facing four counts of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly enabling their son’s rampage and failing to secure the handgun he used.

They are also accused of fleeing from the authorities and hiding in a warehouse in Detroit, where they were arrested on December 4, 2021. Jennifer Crumbley’s trial began on January 24, 2024, and is expected to last for several weeks.

Early Life and Education

Jennifer Crumbley was born on June 6, 1976, in Michigan. She graduated from Lake Orion High School in 1994 and attended Oakland Community College, where she studied business administration. She worked as a marketing director for a real estate company and was described by her coworkers as a friendly and professional person.

Marriage and Family

Jennifer Crumbley married James Crumbley, a software engineer, in 2002. They have two sons, Ethan and Eli. The family lived in a suburban home in Oxford Township, Michigan.

According to court documents, Jennifer Crumbley had an affair with a firefighter, Brian Meloche, in 2020, and exchanged text messages with him on the day of the shooting. She also told him that she had “failed miserably” as a parent and that her son had been “hearing things” in the house.

Jennifer Crumbley Wiki/Bio

Net worth

Jennifer Crumbley’s net worth is not publicly known, but it is likely that she and her husband, James, had a comfortable income before they were charged in connection to the Oxford High School shooting. 

According to some sources, James Crumbley worked as a software engineer and earned a six-figure salary, while Jennifer Crumbley worked as a marketing director and a realtor for a real estate company. However, their financial situation may have changed drastically after they were arrested and held on $500,000 bail each. 

Physical Appearance

• Height: 5 feet 8 inches
• Weight: 58 kilograms
• Eye Color: Dark Brown
• Hair Color: Darl Brown

Involvement in the School Shooting

On November 26, 2021, Crumbley bought a 9mm SIG Sauer SP 2022 semi-automatic handgun as a Christmas gift for Ethan. He posted a photo of the gun on social media, with the caption “Mom and son day testing out his new Christmas present”. Jennifer Crumbley also posted a photo of the gun, with the message “Mom and Sunday testing out his new Christmas present”. Ethan Crumbley had access to the gun, which was kept in a drawer in his parents’ bedroom, without a lock or a safe.

On November 29, 2021, a teacher at Oxford High School noticed that Ethan Crumbley was searching for ammunition on his phone during class. The teacher reported this to the school officials, who contacted Jennifer Crumbley. She texted her son, “LOL I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught”. She did not inform the school that her son had access to a gun at home.

On November 30, 2021, another teacher at Oxford High School found a disturbing drawing on Ethan Crumbley’s desk, depicting a person being shot, a bloody bullet, and the words “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me”. The drawing also had the phrases “My life is useless” and “The world is dead”. The teacher took a photo of the drawing and reported it to the school officials, who summoned Ethan Crumbley and his parents to a meeting. During the meeting, Jennifer and James Crumbley were shown the drawing and advised to seek immediate mental health help for their son. They refused to take him home, saying they had to go back to work. They also did not ask him about the gun or check if he had it with him.

About three hours after the meeting, Ethan Crumbley emerged from a bathroom with the gun and opened fire at the students and staff in the school. He killed four students: Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Hana St Juliana, 14, and Justin Shilling, 17. He also injured seven others, including a teacher. He surrendered to the police after they confronted him in a hallway. He had seven rounds of ammunition left in the gun.

After the shooting, Jennifer Crumbley texted her son, “Ethan don’t do it”. She also called 911 and told the dispatcher that she suspected her son was the shooter, and that he had a gun that she and her husband had bought for him. She and her husband left their workplace and drove to their home, where they found the police searching their house. They then drove away in their car, without contacting the authorities or their lawyer.

On December 3, 2021, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office announced that Jennifer and James Crumbley were charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, each carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The prosecutor, Karen McDonald, said that the parents were “grossly negligent” and “could have prevented the four deaths” if they had tended to their son’s mental health and made the gun inaccessible at home. She also said that they were “on the run” and had not turned themselves in.

On December 4, 2021, Jennifer and James were arrested by the U.S. Marshals in a warehouse in Detroit, where they were hiding with the help of a friend. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were denied bail. Their lawyers said that they were not fleeing, but were afraid for their safety and looking for a safe place to stay.

Trial and Controversies

Jennifer Crumbley’s trial began on January 24, 2024, at the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Michigan. She is being tried separately from her husband, who will face trial in March 2024. Their son, Ethan Crumbley, pleaded guilty to all the charges against him in October 2022 and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, plus 24 years.

The prosecution is expected to present evidence and witnesses to show that Jennifer Crumbley was aware of her son’s troubled state of mind, his access to the gun, and his potential for violence, but did nothing to prevent the shooting or to cooperate with the school officials. The defense is expected to argue that Jennifer Crumbley was a loving and caring mother, who was unaware of her son’s plan, and who tried to contact him and the police after the shooting.

The trial has attracted national and international attention, as it is the first time in the U.S. that parents are charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. The trial has also raised questions about the role and responsibility of parents, schools, and society in preventing and addressing gun violence and mental health issues among young people.

The trial has also been marred by controversies and challenges. On January 25, 2024, the judge, Julie Nicholson, denied a motion by Jennifer Crumbley’s lawyer, Shannon Smith, to dismiss the charges, saying that there was enough evidence to proceed with the trial. On January 26, 2024, the judge also denied a request by Smith to move the trial to another county, saying that she was confident that a fair and impartial jury could be selected in Oakland County. On January 27, 2024, the judge dismissed a juror who had posted comments about the case on social media, violating the court’s order. On January 28, 2024, the judge ordered a mental health evaluation for Jennifer Crumbley, after Smith said that her client was suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and had attempted suicide in jail.

The trial is expected to last for several weeks, with the prosecution and the defense calling dozens of witnesses, including school officials, police officers, experts, and survivors of the shooting. The jury will then decide whether Jennifer Crumbley is guilty or not guilty of the charges. If convicted, she could face up to 60 years in prison.

Jennifer Crumbley is the mother of Ethan Crumbley, the 15-year-old who killed four students and injured seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan on November 30, 2021. She and her husband, James Crumbley, are facing four counts of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly enabling their son’s rampage and failing to secure the handgun he used. She and her husband also fled from the authorities and hid in a warehouse in Detroit, where they were arrested on December 4, 2021.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrKynspmle6S7zGiuoqOZZLemus2inZ6qXZi%2FtrnBpZyyZw%3D%3D