The parents of a Michigan school shooter were each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021.

Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors presented evidence of an unsecured gun at home and indifference toward the teen’s mental health.

Ethan Crumbley drew dark images of a gun, a bullet and a wounded man on a math assignment, accompanied by despondent phrases. Staff at Oxford High School did not demand that he go home but were surprised when the Crumbleys didn’t volunteer it during a brief meeting.

  • venusaur@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    👏 I love that this sets a precedent for parents. You can’t just have kids, not parent them, and not be held accountable for their actions. I hope this is expanded across all similar situations, and even extends into other types of crime. raise a kid that does bad things, pay the consequences. then people will understand just how serious it is to create a life.

    of course this is slippery slope, but in moderation i think this is fair. if parents did all they could to help the child and they still did bad things, they’re not at fault.

    • Dkarma@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      They were only held accountable because they’re poor.

      Don’t get it twisted

        • n2burns@lemmy.ca
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          8 months ago

          You don’t think 2A absolutists would help fund their defence if they thought it would help? This will be precedent setting.

          • venusaur@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            I don’t think they’re high profile enough or nobody high profile enough has rallied for them.

    • teamevil@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      I mean also probably don’t arm your emotionally unstable teen with a handgun…(Or anyone experiencing genuine emotional challenges) I mean I get hunting rifle for country hunting teens but these type of disasters never have real hunting rifles…it’s always tactical shit or handguns.

      • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.gg
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        8 months ago

        In general I feel like parents shouldn’t be held accountable for everything their kids do; but, in the circumstances surrounding this case where the parents gave a kid that was clearly mentally unstable a gun with no supervision or real steps to safeguard said gun… Yeah they should be held liable.

        • teamevil@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          The mother literally lied said she could not skip work to watch her son, (was disputed by the job which said she could skip) to give her lover a handy in a Costco parking lot.

    • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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      8 months ago

      It sends a message to gun owners. Lock your shit up.