Mother of US Michigan high school shooter found guilty

CHICAGO -- A 12-member jury on Tuesday found the mother of the shooter at a high school 45 miles north of Detroit in the US state of Michigan guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

This marks the first time in the United States that a parent has been held criminally responsible for children's actions, local media reported Tuesday.

Ethan Crumbley, then 15 years old, opened fire inside his school, the Oxford High School, on Nov 30, 2021, killing four students and injuring 7 others. His parents were arrested after days of chase by the police.

The jurors in Oakland County Circuit Court deliberated for 11 hours before arriving at the verdict. Jennifer Crumbley will be sentenced on April 9 and may face up to 15 years in prison.

The conviction also sets the stage for her husband, James, whose trial is scheduled to start March 5. Their son, Ethan, is now serving a life sentence for the deaths of four students who were killed in the shooting.

Michigan prosecutors portrayed 45-year-old Jennifer Crumbley as a negligent mother who ignored signs her teen son was in crisis, never got him help and bought him a 9mm gun anyway.

The guilty verdict means the jury found Jennifer Crumbley stored the firearm and ammunition in a way that allowed the shooter to have access to it and was grossly negligent in her actions, local media reported.