PONTIAC, Mich. – The mother of the Michigan school shooter testified in her own defense Thursday, expressing regret over the tragic events while denying any responsibility for the deaths of four students. Jennifer Crumbley told the jury that while she doesn’t consider herself a victim, her family has also suffered greatly.
Crumbley and her husband are the first parents in the U.S. to be charged in the case of a mass school shooting committed by their child. Their son, Ethan Crumbley, pulled a handgun from his backpack and shot 11 people, killing four in the tragic incident. The attack occurred just hours after school staff had summoned the parents to discuss a violent drawing on a math assignment by their son.
During her testimony, Jennifer Crumbley denied claims that she ignored her son’s mental health issues and rejected any blame for the gun used in the shooting. She shifted responsibility to her husband, who will also stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. She stated that she had no role in purchasing or storing the handgun and emphasized that it was her husband’s responsibility.
Throughout her testimony, Jennifer Crumbley maintained her stance that she was not aware of her son’s mental health problems and did not perceive any significant issues. However, prosecutors presented evidence, including text messages and journal entries, suggesting that Ethan had expressed serious concerns about his mental state and the lack of support from his parents.
The meeting between school staff and the Crumbleys, where the parents were presented with their son’s disturbing drawing and urged to seek mental health care for him, has been a focal point in the case. The parents declined to take their son home after the meeting, with Jennifer Crumbley stating that she thought it might stress him out more to do school remotely for the rest of the day, but emphasized that there was never a time where she would refuse to take him home if he wanted to go.
As the trial continues, the testimony and evidence presented will play a crucial role in determining the level of responsibility the parents bear in their son’s tragic actions.