13-year-old Megan Meier lived in a small Missouri town. She suffered from depression and thought she was overweight. In late 2006 she had a falling out with a girlfriend who lived down the street. About the same time she met 16-year-old Josh Evans on MySpace where they corresponded for a month or so. Then Josh sent her some cruel messages calling her fat and a slut, ending with “The world would be better without you.” Megan hung herself that night and died the next day.
Although cyberbullying and harassment is common, it rarely comes from the parents of a child. In this case, however, the parents of Megan’s girlfriend created Josh Evans on MySpace and communicated with Megan. Their motives are unclear but their cruel Internet hoax came to a fatal conclusion. Prosecutors continue to investigate possible charges against the parents. We should all use the Internet responsibly, and think before writing.
Update: Within two weeks of Megan’s death, her town council declared online harassment a crime, punishable by a $500.00 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Megan’s parents have reportedly separated since her death. In May, 2008, Lori Drew, the mother of Megan’s friend, was charged in federal court with fraudulently creating a MySpace account and using it to cyberbully Megan. If convicted she faces up to 20 years in prison.
