Case Explained: Should parents be charged for their children’s crimes? – WABE – Legal Perspective

In recent years, a pair of deadly school shootings has led to landmark legal cases in America. The November 2021 shooting at a Michigan high school and the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, placed the blame on the accused teenagers, as well as their parents.

Ethan Crumbley is serving a life prison sentence for killing four students at Oxford High School. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were accused of being negligent regarding their son’s crime. They’re now serving up to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

Colt Gray awaits trial for allegedly killing two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School. However, a jury recently found his father, Colin, guilty of enabling Colt’s actions. The elder Gray was found guilty of murder, in what legal observers are calling a first-of-its-kind verdict for the country. 

On today’s “Closer Look,” host Rose Scott is joined by Attorneys Gil Deitch and Andy Rogers. The law firm is representing the family of Christian Angulo, one of the fatal victims of the Apalachee High School shooting. They addressed listeners’ comments and questions about the extent of a parent’s responsibility for a child’s criminal behavior. 

This question was posed as local police have recently responded to and made arrests at teen takeovers that caused disruptions on the Atlanta Beltline and at Atlantic Station. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said they recovered several guns from some of the teenagers and their parents will face charges for their children’s actions. As a precaution, Cumberland Mall implemented a temporary, 3 p.m. youth curfew — requiring minors to be accompanied by a parent or adult age 21 or older.