Ethan Crumbley’s Parents Sentenced to up to 15 Years for Son’s Fatal School Shooting (Michigan)

New York Post ^ | April 9, 2024 | Priscilla DeGregory

[Fuzz]

No. Did you see the post I questioned?

Pinged wrong person last post.

[AnAmericanMother]

This is a very extreme case. Kid wrote a crazy note at school saying he was hearing voices, wanted to shoot someone, and "please help me." School discovered it, called a meeting with parents, asked them to immediately get mental health care for the kid. They refused. The same day, he went out with the gun his dad bought him and shot up the school.

That's involuntary manslaughter of the "gross negligence" variety - sounds like a fair verdict.

[rlmorel]

I did not read that they refused. That is bad for them. And since the kid didn’t have a permit of his own they were responsible for the firearm.

Lot of lessons for those of us who respect the 2nd Amendment and don’t want to go afoul of the responsibility that goes with that right.

[Churchillspirit]

So sorry, Fuzz. Mea culpa!

[TalBlack]

They’ll be out in three or four.

[AnAmericanMother]

Same reason you don’t entrust a high powered muscle car to a kid with poor driving skills and a history of risk-taking . . . that actually has caught quite a few parents over the years . . .

[rlmorel]

Of course. Firearms are a completely and totally different ball of wax. I would NEVER even consider giving a kid a firearm of their own unless they STRONGLY displayed qualities of responsibility and intelligence.

[SamAdams76]

Under this logic, any parent leaving car keys on the counter or with an unlocked liquor cabinet, or even beer in the refrigerator, are potential future felons and prison inmates.

[AnAmericanMother]

True. My kids had "their" rifles, but they were locked in the gun safe and only taken out when we went to shoot. And they are pretty responsible kids.

Cars kill more folks than firearms . . . we just are used to them being around.

[AnAmericanMother]

No, it's the "something else" here that turned it into gross negligence/involuntary manslaughter.

Even assuming that the parents had no idea the kid was a time bomb, they were put on notice when the school called a meeting and told them to get the kid mental help immediately (within 24 hours). Instead of doing so, they negotiated 48 hours and then left the kid at school. After giving a kid with obvious ("should have known") mental issues a firearm and not keeping it secure.

Similar situation could obtain with car keys and liquor if the parents knew (or should have known) that the kid was repeatedly drinking their liquor and driving drunk - and they were told to get him help and refused.

[SamAdams76]

Thanks for the explanation.

[rlmorel]

And that is a good thing, FRiend. It is not a good thing when guns are a “novelty” and mysterious to kids. That is a recipe for disaster.