Cyber-bullied teen committed suicide in front of her family: Reports

[AeneasBK]

We don't need to make all electronic communication recorded and trackable. I am going to assume that they have evidence of these crimes. Just present the evidence to the police. If they have literally no evidence (Read: They have no tangible instances of the harassment) then no harassment took place and they are in the realm of hyperbole and conjecture.

I haven't looked into the details too closely (read: at all) but apparently a lot of the harrassment was happening online (making fake profiles of her eliciting sexual conduct and leaving contact details). How to you prosecute someone for that if you don't know who it was? (If I'm just displaying gross ignorance of how online communications work then that's on me)

[Deleted]

http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/12/02/...family-reports

How Tragic! We must do something against cyberbullying. How many must die before we act?

Yes how many? More than 1 million?
How can we find the bullies?

[minteK917]

We don't need to make all electronic communication recorded and trackable. I am going to assume that they have evidence of these crimes. Just present the evidence to the police. If they have literally no evidence (Read: They have no tangible instances of the harassment) then no harassment took place and they are in the realm of hyperbole and conjecture.

Its actually not that easy, even right now Photo radar for speeding ticket is highly fought against in many legislations. Presenting receivable evidence is not as easy as just showing a facebook post to the police sadly. Even the police have problem having their own researched digital evidence into courtrooms.

[cuafpr]

the number was changed they tracked down again, likely via friends of friends. Better idea block numbers, restrict to only approved numbers, same with FB. And then teach the kid how to fight back in person self-defense classes etc..

if that fails get off the net (fb) and turn off sms msging on the phones.

bullying shouldn't lead to suicide it should lead to the bully getting their ass kicked and the bullied kid getting off scott free from an repercussions of said beating.

[Daerio]

At some point this cant be handled any other way. They got away with stuff they couldnt outside of the internet, it should not be possible. They harassed her even by phone, how the hell cant police do anything about that?

I have to agree, this seems inconsistent with other cases I've read if police aren't looking into this. Depending on what they found, it seems pretty easy to reach the conclusion that a crime was committed here.

[Korzag]

As sad as this is, ultimately it was the teen's decision and no one else's. I don't agree with trying to regulate "cyber bullying," rather we should be focused on improving our kids' capability of dealing with adversity and criticism. I don't want to give the government even more power to regulate free speech.

This girl's bullying wasn't something to do with criticism... it was hatred from cruel people who took a joke way too far. The people who bullied her into this situation absolutely need to be dealt with and be criminally prosecuted for slander and being accessories to sexual abuse (they used her name, photo, and contact information on sex sites, since she's a minor and has this information that means she was too young to be on these sites even if she wanted to be). The girl who ended her own life had her self esteem completely drained away by these monsters, and you think we should just let them walk in the name of not wanting to "give the government even more power to regulate free speech"? Free speech is the ability to voice your opinion, not defame and slander someone's name. Those people who solicited her name for sex ought to be treated as sex offenders and threats to the public. I hope each one of them involved develop a sense of what they did and I hope that it eats at their very soul to a point where change is wrought.

This isn't a matter of defending our freedoms. It's a matter of protecting and serving justice to someone whose life became unbearable due to the hate crimes wrought upon them. Maybe you ought to think out your opinion before showing your fedora in public and acting like some social justice warrior.

[Tennis]

Yes how many? More than 1 million?
How can we find the bullies?

Some websites require you to link your account to your facebook to reduce the toxic atmosphere. I wonder if that would work well here.

[Mistame]

Wow so you deny mental health issues exist? That's really sad.

"Cyberbullying" is not a Jedi mind trick. She made a conscious decision to end her life. That's on her. Sorry-not-sorry.

Taking a mature stance with the name calling, I see.

It was a statement of fact.

[Skalm]

The real question they should be asking is how the fuck did she get access to a gun? Was it her parents? If so, they should be tried under the law that is in place regarding preventing minors unsupervised access to a firearm.

If it was her parents firearm, then by allowing her to access, they are complicit in her suicide.

[TZucchini]

No one ever said those people were rational, either. The conscious decision to end one's own life is made by the individual. Projecting the blame, especially in cases like this, is infantile.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with attributing blame to guilty parties. It's literally the foundation of our justice system.

If I physically assault someone, I should be blamed for their injuries.

If I verbally assault someone, I should be blamed for their injuries.

Our justice system also assesses the degree of blame. And instances like this should be no different. The kids shouldn't be tried for murder.

[minteK917]

the number was changed they tracked down again, likely via friends of friends. Better idea block numbers, restrict to only approved numbers, same with FB. And then teach the kid how to fight back in person self-defense classes etc..

if that fails get off the net (fb) and turn off sms msging on the phones.

They used her identity as well. So getting off, does not fix anything. Those are serious federal crimes.

[lockedout]

http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/12/02/...family-reports

How Tragic! We must do something against cyberbullying. How many must die before we act?

Yeah we should do something like tell our kids to grow some thicker skin and man up.

[Kathandira]

I like many was bullied. I was beat up, throw in a garbage can, had my sexuality questioned for the better part of my youth and other horrible things.

But I was raised to shrug it off. I never killed anyone, and Im still alive and loving life.

Not everyone who is bullied will be driven to these lengths.

[Jotaux]

First off, "teen." She's eighteen. She's an adult, not a child.

Secondly, change your damn number if you keep getting harassed over the phone.

Lastly, she chose to take her life instead of finding comfort with her family/friends. This isn't the usual case where the person is alone with no one to turn to with no one listening to their problems. Her family was on the phone trying to stop her and she did it anyway. I have no sympathy for her.

I agree that people should take responsibility for what happens to them. There are things you can do such as changing your number or going to the police. Fake profiles of you is identity theft and easily traceable by the police.

However, all the support in the world is sometimes not enough to stop you from feeling alone. The extent of support you usually get when depressed ranges from telling you to be happy to being understanding for a little while before they get sick of your shit.

[Socialhealer]

well the weak willed and weak minded have no place in evolution anyway.

really? internet bullying? what happened to real bullying where you got your head kicked in huh.

oh no quick people are insulting me on the internet, calling me fat and phoning me, there's no way i could just like ignore this shit and move on.

“Brandy was well-liked and friendly,” Tortorici said. “Texas City High School students really liked her. She has touched many people, as evident by the outpouring of love from her schoolmates.”

clearly she wasn't well liked thats why she was being bullied isn't that how bullying works?

[Templar 331]

It's as if people have no idea what depression is or how much mental damage can be done from things such as this... like truly it's like saying to a person who is mentally ill to stop being mentally ill and think like a person who isn't mentally ill becuase not being mentally ill makes sense so magically be mentally sound. aka it's a stupid line of thought.

First off, strawman.

Secondly, it's as if people aren't held accountable for their actions.......

Life sucks. Grow the hell up. She was an adult and fully capable of handling the situation. If she was not capable she should have been seeing a psychiatrist. Putting the gun to her chest was her choice. It doesn't matter what theoretical mental issues you invent for her to justify her actions, she chose.

[Mistame]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with attributing blame to guilty parties. It's literally the foundation of our justice system.

If I physically assault someone, I should be blamed for their injuries.

If I verbally assault someone, I should be blamed for their injuries.

Our justice system also assesses the degree of blame. And instances like this should be no different. The kids shouldn't be tried for murder.

The "verbal injury" bit aside, I don't disagree. If "cyberbullying" is illegal, they should be charged. My point was merely clarifying that the "bullies" are not responsible for her suicide, only the "bullying".

I like many was bullied. I was beat up, throw in a garbage can, had my sexuality questioned for the better part of my youth and other horrible things.

But I was raised to shrug it off. I never killed anyone, and Im still alive and loving life.

Not everyone who is bullied will be driven to these lengths.

Honestly, I think it lies at least partially in parenting and society. If you're taught to believe you're a victim, you'll react like one. Personally, I made my shitty childhood and depression my bitch. /shrug

[Socialhealer]

I like many was bullied. I was beat up, throw in a garbage can, had my sexuality questioned for the better part of my youth and other horrible things.

But I was raised to shrug it off. I never killed anyone, and Im still alive and loving life.

Not everyone who is bullied will be driven to these lengths.

here we go an example of how to deal with it, not cry in silence then put a gun to your chest thats ridiculous.

[Tennis]

I like many was bullied. I was beat up, throw in a garbage can, had my sexuality questioned for the better part of my youth and other horrible things.

But I was raised to shrug it off. I never killed anyone, and Im still alive and loving life.

Not everyone who is bullied will be driven to these lengths.

Why do you think they bullied you?

[TZucchini]

She made a conscious decision to end her life.

People suffering from mental health issues do not make "conscious" decisions. Their ability to make decisions is literally impaired. Read a book.