Michigan Court of Appeals Rules Parents of Oxford High School Shooter Can Face Trial for Involuntary Manslaughter

In a groundbreaking case of criminal responsibility for the acts of a child, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that the parents of a teenager who killed four students at a Michigan high school can face trial for involuntary manslaughter.

The parents of the Oxford High School shooter will stand trial on four counts of involuntary manslaughter for the four deaths their son Ethan Crumbley caused in a November 2021 school shooting. The court acknowledged the possible precedent-setting nature of this case – holding parents accountable for a child’s crimes – but called the situation unique and unusual.

The court ruled that the murders would not have happened if the parents hadn’t purchased a gun for Ethan Crumbley or if they had taken him home from Oxford High School on the day of the shooting, when staff became alarmed about his extreme drawings.

The defendants expressed concern about the potential for this decision to be applied in the future to other cases. However, the court noted that whether a jury actually finds that causation has been proven after a full trial, where the record will almost surely be more expansive, is an issue separate from the ruling.

The case is now set to proceed to a full trial, where the defendants will have the opportunity to present evidence in their defense. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the criminal responsibility of parents for the actions of their children.