Accused Oxford Shooter Kept Baby Bird's Head In Jar: Prosecutors

PONTIAC, MI — Oakland County prosecutors said the parents of accused Oxford school shooter Ethan Crumbley knew he was troubled and depressed but ignored his troubling signs, which included drawings, text messages and a baby bird's head in jar, according to court filing.

Prosecutors revealed the allegations in Thursday's court filing to strongly oppose a lower bond request from James Crumbley and Jennifer Crumbley, the 15-year-old’s parents, who were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Rather than pay attention to their son's disturbing actions, which included torturing animals and sending "disturbing texts" to his mom, James and Jennifer Crumbey continued living their lives, which included caring for their horses and having extramarital affairs, prosecutors said.

"The defendants had information long before Nov. 30 (six months prior to the shooting) that their son's only friend moved at the end of October, that the family dog died, that their son was sadder than usual, and that he was sending his mother disturbing texts about his state of mind," according to the court filing. "Instead of paying attention to their son and getting him help, they bought him a gun."

Prosecutors disclosed in the document that one alarming sign was Ethan torturing animals, which included him keeping a baby bird’s head in a jar on his bedroom floor. He later took the jar to school and placed in a school bathroom, prosecutors said.

While this was going on, Crumbley's parents focused their time on caring for their horses — three to four nights a week for up to three hours at a time — and having other relationships, prosecutors said.

"Their son was torturing animals, even kept a baby bird's head in a jar on his bedroom floor, which he later took and placed in a school bathroom," prosecutors said. "Meanwhile, the parents were focusing on their own issues, things like extramarital affairs, financial issues and substance abuse."

The court filing also showed drawings depicting handguns and the words, "The thoughts won’t stop," "Blood Everywhere," "help me" and "my life is useless." Once a teacher saw the drawings on Ethan's schoolwork, he scratched out the violence and wrote, "I love my life so much!!!!" and "We’re all friends here," while suggesting the violence was a video game, prosecutors said.

Even on the day of the shooting, James and Jennifer Crumbey knew that their son was depressed and fascinated with guns, especially the 9 mm handgun they had bought for him just days before, prosecutors argued in the court filing. They also knew he had been researching ammunition while at school and that he was seen watching violent video of shootings that morning, prosecutors said.

"Despite having all this knowledge, Defendants failed to take even the simplest action that would have prevented the massacre," prosecutors argued in the court filing. "All they had to do was tell the school that they recently purchased a gun for their son, ask him where the gun was, open his backpack, or just take him home."

Patch reached out to the Crumbley's defense team at Smith Lehman PC, but they did not immediately reply.

However, lawyers for James and Jennifer have argued the parents "did not know Ethan was a threat to anyone; and they certainly did not anticipate or cause the tragedy that unfolded at Oxford High School." They have also denied the notion the parents are at flight risk.

However, prosecutors argued in the court filing that the Crumbley parents are a flight risk, because the couple was $11,000 in debt as of October, sold their horses and are trying to sell their family’s house.

"Defendants are at a greater risk of flight now than they were at the time of the arraignment,” the brief says, adding that the Crumbleys "have already shown that they will flee if they get the opportunity."

Ethan Crumbley faces 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism, in connection to the Oxford school shooting that left four students dead and seven other people wounded. His parents face four counts each of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting, authorities said.

After prosecutors charged Jennifer and James Crumbley in connection with the shooting, the couple disappeared before officials said they found the two several hours later hiding in the warehouse in downtown Detroit.

All three Crumbleys were placed on suicide watch and housed individually at the same Oakland County jail.

Ethan Crumbley's next court date is a probable cause conference scheduled for Jan. 7, while Jennifer and James' next court date for probable cause is scheduled for Feb. 8.