Ethan Robert Crumbley, the 15-year-old charged in a tragic school shooting, must once again go to court over his ongoing detention in an adult jail. Court is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET. You can watch in the player above.
A judge must review his situation every 30 days under Michigan. Jail records show he remains at the Oakland County Jail with his co-defendant father James Robert Crumbley, 45, in the same facility. Mother Jennifer Lynn Crumbley, 43, is in the annex. His parents are charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly turning a blind eye to his disturbing behavior to the point of criminal culpability. They purchased a gun for him just days before he opened fire at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021, authorities said. The younger Crumbley murdered Hana St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Justin Shilling, 17, and also injured seven others authorities said.
An administrator at the facility called the Oakland County Children’s Village previously testified that they never before had an alleged school shooter on their campus, or a resident making an insanity defense like the younger Crumbley. Staff were not trained police officers, and must sometimes call deputies for support if there is a problem.
Residents at the Children’s Village go to school five days as week, and the administrator, manager Heather Calcaterra, said she could not predict the possible “trauma impact” of putting Crumbley in the understaffed facility. She voiced concern that other “residents” may target him.
Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwamé L. Rowe determined that at least for now, “the best interest of justice” would be for the 15-year-old to remain in the adult jail, although separate from grown inmates.
Aaron Keller contributed to this report.
[Booking photo via Oakland County Jail]
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