- A family friend of James and Jennifer Crumbley testified in a preliminary hearing for their trial on Tuesday.
- The Crumbleys both face charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the November 2021 Oxford High School shooting.
- Kira Pennock testified that Jennifer Crumbley sent her a Facebook message that said "my son ruined so many lives today."
Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the suspected Oxford High School shooter, messaged "my son ruined so many lives today" to a friend after the shooting, according to court testimony on Tuesday.
James and Jennifer Crumbley face charges of involuntary manslaughter after last November's school shooting that left four students dead and seven more injured. Prosecutors alleged that the Crumbleys made it too easy for their son, 15, to gain access to a handgun.
Both parents face up to 60 years in prison and $30,000 in fines if convicted.
Kira Pennock, a family friend, testified during a preliminary hearing for the Crumbleys manslaughter trial on Tuesday. Pennock testified that she owns a horse farm in Michigan and gives horse riding lessons. She said in court that the Crumbleys keep two horses that they own in her stables.
Pennock said in court that when she heard about the Oxford shooting, she assumed that it was the Crumbleys' son who was responsible because "they own guns and they go out shooting."
On November 30 2021, the day of the Oxford High School shooting, Pennock testified that Jennifer Crumbley Facebook messaged her with concerns about her son's mental health. Crumbley sent Pennock a photo of a math worksheet that her son had completed earlier in the day where he wrote "my life is useless" on the paper, Pennock said in court.
Pennock testified that Crumbley said she did not want her son to be alone and asked Pennock if she could take him to the horse farm after school for some riding lessons.
During the course of their conversation throughout the day, Pennock testified that Crumbley's messages changed and she started to seem "upset." Pennock said in court that Crumbley indicated that she wanted to sell her two horses to her before sending a message that said "I'm bawling so much right now Kira."
A defense attorney asked Pennock if Crumbley messaged her "my son ruined so many lives today," and she replied "yes." Pennock testified that she replied to Crumbley that she would take care of her horses to "take something off of her plate."
According to Pennock, she messaged Crumbley, "It sounds like Ethan was a troubled kid. This doesn't even remotely make me think it's your fault." A defense attorney asked Pennock what she meant by the message and Pennock replied that she "had never gotten the feeling that Jenn and James had issues with their son."
Prosecutors asked Pennock about more messages that Crumbley sent to Pennock where Crumbley said she wished her son had shown "warnings." Pennock testified that she messaged Crumbley that "hindsight is always 20-20. When something bad happens, we look back at what could have prevented it."