The teenager was denied a transfer to the juvenile facility of Children’s Village and must remain in the adult jail until trial, Judge Kwamé Rowe issued in a ruling Tuesday according to WJBK-TV.
The trial date for Crumbley’s alleged mass shooting on November 30 has yet to be set. He was charged as an adult with the murder of four students, Hana St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Justin Shilling, 17. He faces 24 charges including terrorism and first-degree murder and could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty. Until then, the teenager will remain separated from other adults at Oakland County Jail.
“This court cannot find that the juvenile would be safely detained at Children’s Village,” Rowe wrote in his decision, according to Detroit Free Press. “It is clear that Children’s Village is incapable of safely housing this defendant because of the unique circumstances this case presents.”
The judge made his decision after hearing arguments last week from Crumbley’s attorney who said the minor should be moved to Children’s Village facility to be with others closer to his age. He said Crumbley was being kept in isolation in an adult prison and would receive better treatment at the facility for minors, The Detroit News reported.
“Although Defendant is in isolation, he does not note any mental health concerns and the jail has not noted any concerns. He is eating, reading books, playing video games, and talking to others,” the judge wrote adding the court was not persuaded that Crumbley’s isolation was “having a negative impact on his current mental health.”
The judge cited an email in his decision that was sent on January 16, 2022, in which Crumbley wrote “‘I got a cell to myself, 3 meals a day, a TV to watch and the guards are pretty nice,’” the Detroit Free Press reported.
In his decision, Rowe said he believed “justice was best served” regarding the 15-year-old remaining in the Oakland Country Jail. One of the reasons for denying the move was because it could cause “trauma impact” for minors already in Children’s village if Crumbley were to be transferred, WJBK reported.
Another reason listed was the manager of the juvenile facility said she could not guarantee Crumbley wouldn’t be targeted by other individuals. She added the facility would be unable to segregate him from those with less serious charges.
Michigan law requires minors held in adult facilities to be evaluated by the judge every month. The first evaluation was on January 21 to determine whether the adult facility was still appropriate in Crumble’s case. February’s hearing lasted close to three hours and had a total of three witnesses testify, according to WJBK.
