PONTIAC, Michigan – The mother of Madisyn Baldwin, one of the victims of the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, expressed gratitude and relief after the verdict of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the shooter, was announced. Nicole Beausoleil spoke of the landmark decision as “making monumental history” and emphasized the importance of accountability in such cases. The jury found Jennifer Crumbley guilty on four counts of manslaughter, marking the first time a parent has been held criminally responsible for a mass shooting committed by their child in the United States.
Beausoleil highlighted the significance of the verdict, stating that it sets a new precedent for the justice system. She expressed her gratitude to the jury for carefully assessing the evidence and red flags leading up to the tragic event. While acknowledging the lifetime of heartbreak ahead, Beausoleil vowed to ensure that Madisyn’s voice is heard and her legacy upheld.
The mother also thanked the public for their support and remembrance of the victims killed in the shooting, including Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling, while also acknowledging the seven others who were wounded. Jennifer Crumbley faces the possibility of up to 15 years in prison per count and is set to be sentenced on April 9th.
Notably, Jennifer Crumbley’s husband, James Crumbley, has also been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, pleading not guilty and awaiting trial. Their son, Ethan, who was the shooter, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty as an adult to murder, terrorism, and other crimes. The jury foreperson in the trial shared on NBC’s “TODAY” show that evidence of the mother’s failure to secure the gun used in the shooting and journal entries made by the shooter played a significant role in the jury’s decision.