A judge denied a motion Tuesday to reduce bonds for the jailed parents of a Michigan teenager who isOakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews said that James and Jennifer Crumbley’s actions before“The defendants indicate they were devastated when they heard about the alleged actions of their son, felt unsafe in their home, felt hounded by the press and found it necessary to leave,” Matthews said.
“Upon a warrant being issued, law enforcement is not required to make an appointment with a defendant,” Matthews said. “It is the job of the police to ensure a swift, safe and secure arrest. The defendants actions were premeditated to conceal their whereabouts.” “The Crumbleys were absolutely shocked parents who had no reason to foresee what would happen,” defense attorneys Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman wrote earlier.
“The claim that they weren’t trying to flee is not credible,” Prosecutor Karen McDonald told reporters following Tuesday’s hearing. “Turning yourself in is always the best route. You can’t try to run from being prosecuted and claim you were always going to return to a court date.”