Ethan Crumbley: Oxford High School shooter's mom and her married lover accused of holding sex parties while ignoring his mental health pleas
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN: The trial of Jennifer Crumbley, charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with her son Ethan Crumbley's deadly Oxford High School rampage on November 30, 2021, took a disturbing turn on Friday, February 2.
Prosecutors suggested that the shooter's mother and her married lover, Brian Meloche, engaged in sex parties at hotels while allegedly neglecting the teenager's pleas for mental health treatment.
Ethan Crumbley’s mother Jennifer Crumbley and her firefighter lover allegedly held sex parties
According to court proceedings, the explosive cross-examination commenced with prosecutors detailing how Jennifer and Meloche apparently used the 'Adult Friend Finder' swingers app to arrange encounters with strangers at local hotels.
While the mother admitted to using the app, she insisted that these hotel visits were for business purposes and occurred only during work hours.
Both Jennifer and her husband, James Crumbley, face four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with their son's school shooting, with both pleading not guilty. Ethan, now 17, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in December 2023 for the tragic incident.
Prosecutors sought to challenge Jennifer's portrayal of herself as a "hyper-vigilant helicopter parent" close to her son, asserting that she was instead "grossly negligent" by providing him access to a gun and disregarding his mental health needs.
The court heard that Jennifer, the marketing director for a real estate company, allegedly spent her free time at sex parties with her lover and engaged in hobbies like skiing and horseback riding, often leaving her son unattended for hours.
Prosecutors argued that her preoccupation with these activities resulted in her overlooking Ethan's mental health struggles.
Ethan Crumbley's journal exposes desperation and unmet mental health needs
Text message exchanges between Jennifer and Ethan, presented in court, revealed a stark absence of expressions of love over several years.
Additionally, excerpts from the Oxford High School shooter's journal painted a distressing picture, with entries stating, "My parents won’t listen to me about help or [a] therapist" and "I have zero help for my mental problems, and it’s causing me to shoot up the f**king school," as per New York Post.
During her testimony, Jennifer expressed shock and claimed to be unaware of these journal entries. She asserted that she "felt like I had an open door. He can come to me about anything."
In a surprising revelation, she claimed that it was her husband, James, who decided to purchase the 9mm gun used in the school shooting. She stated that the father and son bought the firearm together on Black Friday while she was out shopping by herself.
When questioned about any objections to the gun purchase, Jennifer responded, "No," adding, "I was more angry that they cut into our Christmas tree time."
