The life of Ethan Crumbley took a devastating turn on November 30, 2021, when he opened fire at his high school in Oxford, Michigan. The shooting resulted in the deaths of four students and left several others injured. The tragic event left his community and the nation at a loss, wondering what contributed to the senseless acts of violence.
Ethan pleaded guilty to one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of murder, and 19 other charges related to the heinous act. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Among the many questions raised were the role of parental responsibility and the impact on Crumbley’s behavior.
People argued that Ethan’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were negligent in addressing their son’s emotional and psychological struggles. According to reports, Ethan had exhibited concerning behavior in the months leading up to the shooting. His disturbing drawings and writings reflected his troubled state of mind. Additionally, there were indications that his parents were aware of these warning signs but failed to intervene.
A counselor, Shawn Hopkins, who was called to testify, gave insights into the negligence of Ethan’s parents. According to him, he was “caught off guard” when Ethan’s parents refused to pick him up from school after they were shown a violent drawing he made shortly before the heinous act. Additionally, they didn’t check Ethan’s backpack, where he hid the 9mm gun used for the shooting.
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He mentioned that the school didn’t insist Ethan leave because there were no discipline issues that day. Instead, he gave Ethan’s parents a list of mental health professionals in the area and encouraged them to get help for their son immediately. “But it was made quite clear that it wasn’t possible to do it that day. They had to return to work and could not do it,” he said.
Hopkins, who counseled about 400 students at the school, noted that some students experienced anxiety during the fall of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We saw a lot of depression, anxiety, students struggling. We saw suicide ideation and, unfortunately, suicide attempts,” he recalled.
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Hopkins emphasized that he was particularly concerned about Ethan’s well-being. Sometime in the year, the school staff had raised concerns about him because of his writings. It was also reported that Ethan had been researching for bullets on his phone the day before the shooting occurred.
On the day of the gruesome attack, he drew images of a gun and a bullet accompanied by the words, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” When his teacher found the drawing, the school called in his parents for a meeting. But according to Hopkins, the meeting ended abruptly, and Ethan’s mother acted “like it was a little bit of an inconvenience to be there.”
ALSO READ: Prosecutor Claims Mother of Michigan School Shooter’s Negligence Caused Four Students’ Death
The prosecutors charged Ethan’s parents with manslaughter, and they are facing up to 15 years imprisonment. Prosecutors alleged that they were negligent and could have prevented the tragedy if they cared for their son’s mental health.
They accused his parents of buying a gun for Ethan despite knowing his mental health issues and tendency to violence. The Crumbleys are the first parents in the U.S. to face charges in connection with a mass school shooting committed by their child.
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