Parents of suspect in US mass school shooting go missing

CHICAGO, United States

The FBI and Michigan State Police are searching late Friday for the parents of a teen accused of a mass school shooting.

The search was joined by the US Marshals who specialize in finding fugitives.

James and Jennifer Crumbley are the parents of Ethan Crumbley, 15, who was charged earlier this week with multiple counts of murder and terrorism after police say he went on a deadly shooting spree at Oxford High, just north of Detroit.

The parents were each charged Friday with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, relating to the four students who were killed.

It is almost unprecedented that parents are charged in a mass shooting by a child but prosecutors said the couple’s behavior, including ignoring red flags about their son's behavior, were "egregious."

The Crumbleys failed to appear for arraignment as Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald was announcing the charges.

CNN reported that law enforcement officials said the pair withdrew $4,000 from an ATM and turned off their cell phones.

Attorneys for the couple released a statement disputing reports that the couple was trying to flee and that they were, in fact, heading to Michigan after leaving the state for their safety after the shooting.

But the Oakland County Sheriff said the couple was not even communicating with their own attorneys, an indication that they are on the run.

McDonald is facing criticism for holding a news conference announcing the charges before authorities had the couple in custody.

"It's confounding for me, in a case of this prominence -- that they would make a move like that without having their hands on those two,” former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe told CNN.