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Oxford High School shooting criminal cases: Where things stand

15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, his parents all face criminal charges after mass shooting at high school

OXFORD, Mich. – Accused Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley is being held without bond at the Oakland County Jail alongside his parents James and Jennifer Crumbley, who have yet to post their $500,000 bond.

A tumultuous Friday developed into a wild goose chase for the parents who never showed for scheduled arraignment on involuntary manslaughter charges. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced four counts of involuntary manslaughter against the parents but before the pair could get arraigned on the charges, law enforcement lost track of them.

The disappearing act ignited a nationwide search that went on for hours as the duo went into hiding after missing their 4 p.m. Friday arraignment. Their attorney insisted that the two were not on the run only to have the Detroit police called to a warehouse early Saturday morning where both parents were found hiding out on the city’s east side.


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The couple was finally arraigned later Saturday (Dec. 4) morning and both received the $500,000 bond. The prosecutor said the Crumbley parents are responsible for giving Ethan, 15, a semi-automatic handgun and ignoring his cries for help indicated by a violent school drawing he sketched in class shortly before the shooting inside Oxford High School.

The array of gunfire killed students Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling while injuring six other students and a teacher. One student remains hospitalized as of Monday (Dec. 6) afternoon.

This booking photo released by the Oakland County, Mich., Sheriff's Office shows Ethan Crumbley, 15, who is charged as an adult with murder and terrorism for a shooting that killed four fellow students and injured more at Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich., authorities said Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. (Oakland County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Ethan Crumbley, center, appears on a video arraignment at 52nd District Court in Rochester Hills, Mich., Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Authorities say Crumbley, 15-year-old sophomore, opened fire at Oxford High School, killing four students and wounding seven other people on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Ethan Crumbley is charged with the following:

  • One count of terrorism causing death
  • Four counts of first-degree murder
  • Seven counts of assault with intent to murder
  • 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony

He was charged as an adult and was transferred from a juvenile detention facility to the Oakland County Jail. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to return to court for a probable cause conference Dec. 13 and a preliminary examination on Dec. 20.

This combo from photos provided by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office shows, from left, James Crumbley and Jennifer Crumbley. The parents of Ethan Crumbley, a teen accused of killing four students in a shooting at Oxford High School, plead not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (Oakland County Sheriff's Office via AP)

The Crumbleys did not tell school officials that they gave their son a gun. The parents insisted their son return to class, where shots were fired moments later.

The parents are charged with the following:

Each of the parents are facing the following four charges:

  • Count 1: Involuntary manslaughter, maximum $7,500 fine and 15 years in prison for the death of 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin
  • Count 2: Involuntary manslaughter, maximum $7,500 fine and 15 years in prison for the death of 16-year-old Tate Myre
  • Count 3: Involuntary manslaughter, maximum $7,500 fine and 15 years in prison for the death of 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana
  • Count 4: Involuntary manslaughter, maximum $7,500 fine and 15 years in prison for the death of 17-year-old Justin Shilling

You can watch the entire arraignment here.

This image from 52-1 District Court shows a Zoom arraignment for James, left and Jennifer Crumbley in Oakland Co., Mich., on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. The parents of Ethan Crumbley, a teen accused of killing four students in a shooting at Oxford High School, plead not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges. ( 52-1 District Court via AP)

In total, Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley each face a maximum prison sentence of 60 years and maximum fines of $30,000 if convicted on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter. New charges could ensue for the parents as the case is processed.

James and Jennifer Crumbley are scheduled to return to court Dec. 14 for their probable cause conference and Dec. 22 for a preliminary examination hearing.



About the Authors
Shawn Ley headshot

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

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