James Crumbley in a probable cause hearing in Rochester Hills, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021.
James Crumbley looks past his attorney to his wife during a probable cause hearing in Rochester Hills, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021.Carlos Osorio / AP
  • James and Jennifer Crumbley appeared in court Tuesday for a probable cause hearing. 
  • They are each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the Oxford High School shooting. 
  • James Crumbley mouthed "I love you" to his wife during the hearing.

The father of the Oxford, Michigan, high school shooting suspect mouthed "I love you" to his wife during an in-court conference for their probable cause hearing on Tuesday. 

James Crumbley and his wife, Jennifer Crumbley, are each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the Oxford high school shooting that left four students dead and seven others injured

Their son, a 15-year-old student at the school, is the sole suspect in the shooting.

The couple sat with their lawyers between them during the hearing, but James Crumbley was seen mouthing words to to Jennifer Crumbley when both lawyers approached the judge for a private discussion, according to video of the conference watched by Insider.

The parents, who were arrested in the basement of a commercial building in Detroit on December 4, are accused of not taking any steps to prevent the shooting.

The Crumbleys reportedly bought their son the gun he is accused of using in the shooting as a Christmas gift, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has said

McDonald also said that Jennifer Crumbley previously ignored calls and emails from Oxford High School officials after her a teacher reported that the Crumbleys' son had been looking up ammunition on his phone during class.

On the morning of the shooting, the Crumbleys met with school officials after a teacher saw their son writing concerning notes in class. The Crumbleys refused to take their son home and instead urged the school to send him back to class, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that when Jennifer Crumbley later heard there was an active shooter at Oxford High School, she texted her son "don't do it."

Judge Julie Nicholson postponed the Crumbleys' probable cause hearing to February 8 at the request of both the prosecutors and the defense team. The later hearing will determine whether the Crumbley's will face a trial for their charges. 

The Crumbleys' lawyer did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. 

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