Lori Drew MySpace Trial: Will There Be Justice For Megan?

Megan Meier's Mom, Tina Meier

There is no such thing as justice - in or out of court. ~Clarence Darrow, 1936

We wondered, will there finally be "justice" for Megan Meier in a Los Angeles Federal courthouse and the Lori Drew MySpace trial, as prosecutors rested their case Friday.

It was November of last year that DBKP first came across the story of Megan, of a cruel prank perpetrated upon her via the internet social site, MySpace.com., and its tragic aftermath.



According to the Los Angeles Times, Drew is accused of cyberbullying and setting up of a fake MySpace account in order to "deal" with Megan, a former friend of Drew's daughter, Sarah. A "plan" that was concocted by Drew, Drew's daughter, and an employee of Drew's, 18-yr-old Ashley Grills. A plan, that according to Lori Drew, was both "clever" and "funny", a plan that may have a hand in Megan's suicide.

It's been two years since the details of what actually occurred in the quiet town of Dardenne Prairie, located just west of St. Louis, have begun to emerge in the case against Lori Drew.





Dardenne Prairie is a short drive west of St. Louis on Interstate 70, across the multiple lane bridge built of steel and the broad expanse of the dark green waters of the Missouri river, to the smaller bedroom communities in St. Charles County. It's also the place where Megan Meier and Lori Drew's story riveted the nation.

Welcome to the City of Dardenne Prairie, the heart of the golden triangle in St. Charles County. Small and quaint, Dardenne Prairie maintains a rural flavor in a suburban setting. If you are considering moving your family or business to the St. Charles County area, you’ll find our City a great place to be. Our City boasts acres and acres of natural parks, beautiful residences, several thriving business plazas and an industrial park. With a new Downtown area, private high school and City Hall in the works, Dardenne Prairie is a wonderful place to live, work and play.

Megan Meier grew up in Dardenne Prairie, where subdivisions and strip malls dot the low rolling hills of lush green landscape and quiet, tree-lined streets just off the busy I-70 corridor that stretches from Baltimore, Md., to Cove Fort, Utah. The subdivisions come in different sizes, shapes, and status. Some come with covenants: rules and regulations for a fee, such as whether homeowners can or cannot put up a fence, or the "proper" color to paint a house. Some have their own pools and clubhouses, while others, only a few choices in floor plans and the style of houses built. It was in one these subdivisions, located in Dardenne Prairie, that Megan Meier grew up and then eventually took her own life just shy of her 14th birthday by hanging herself in her bedroom closet.

It was shortly after the start of a new school year and a new school when Megan asked her parents, Tina and Ron Meier, permission to set up another MySpace.com account. MySpace.com is a popular social internet site for teens, even though the site requires its members be 14 years of age. This wasn't the first time Megan had an account on the social site: Megan's Mom, Tina, had previously caught Megan and Sarah Drew with a MySpace page. The two had posted a photo of a "good looking" girl in order to "meet boys online". Megan's mom shut down the account. When Megan asked her parents for a new MySpace account, where she'd "be herself", her parents agreed, after all it was only a matter of a few months before Megan turned 14, and "all the other fifth grade kids were doing it", plus there'd be strict supervision by her parents: such as when she could get online and have access, while Ron and Tina would be the one who logged in.


Megan had attended Fort Zumwalt public schools before she began classes at her new school, Immaculate Conception, in Dardenne Prairie. She no longer attended the same school as Sarah. A "heavy-set" girl, Megan had dropped 20 pounds, and loved such activities as swimming, boating, fishing, dogs, and rap music. She also battled depression and thoughts of suicide since 3rd grade when she began seeing a therapist. You see, Megan had a problem with self-esteem. She thought she "wasn't pretty enough".

Megan had been off and on-again "best friends" with Sarah Drew. Sarah was the same age, and lived a few doors down. The same applied for Megan's family and the Drew's: both Tina Meier and Sarah Drew's families socialised together as they raised their families in the Midwest atmosphere of achieving the American dream.

Until the trial Sarah Drew had been shielded by the press, so there's no information as to the circumstances that ended the friendship between Megan and Sarah. One could surmise the relationship consisted of growing up together in surburia: of trips to Mid Rivers Mall and the movies, of riding the bus to school and sleep-overs at each other's houses. Of sharing confidences and of the trials and tribulations of being a preteen. One can also imagine the shifting and nefarious patterns of pre-teen relationships: of partnerships and groups which form and then dissolve faster than the super-charged thunderstorms that occasionally contain hail and tornadoes. Of the "coldness" between two "best" friends after a spat, that lasted as long as the ice storms that would cover the streets, electrical wires, and limbs of trees in winter. It was after one such "spat" that the plan to "mess" with Megan emerged. A plan, which eventually may have had a partial hand in Megan's death.

Megan had a hard time accepting who she was and felt she wasn't "pretty enough". At the time of Megan's death, she had been working on losing weight, changing schools, making new friends, and a new MySpace page on the internet and she was no longer friends with Sarah Drew.

"Mom! Mom! Mom! Look at him!" Tina Meier recalls her daughter saying.

Josh had contacted Megan Meier through her MySpace page and wanted to be added as a friend.Yes, he's cute, Tina Meier told her daughter. "Do you know who he is?"

"No, but look at him! He's hot! Please, please, can I add him?"

Mom said yes. And for six weeks Megan and Josh - under Tina's watchful eye - became acquainted in the virtual world of MySpace.

It was soon after Megan set up her MySpace account that she was "contacted" by a boy named Josh, which some claim was the catalyst which eventually drove Megan to take her own life.

Part of the reason for Megan's rosy outlook was Josh, Tina says. After school, Megan would rush to the computer.

"Megan had a lifelong struggle with weight and self-esteem," Tina says. "And now she finally had a boy who she thought really thought she was pretty."

Josh "told" Megan that he was "home-schooled". Megan's Mom, Tina, said it seemed "odd" that Josh never gave Megan his phone number. Josh claimed he lived the same area as Megan.

It was Sunday, October 15, 2006, that Megan's "relationship" with Josh changed. Before, he had shown an avid interest in being "friends" with Megan, on MySpace, a new Josh emerged:


Continue reading: Lori Drew MySpace Trial: Will There Be Justice For Megan? -pg 2

Trench Reynolds: DBKP This Week in Crime, Aug 10-16 2008

August 10-16, 2008
Volume 27



I'm Trench Reynolds.

I blog about crime.


This is DBKP's This Week in Crime for August 10th-August 16th, 2008.


At craigscrimelist I made another short post about more teens involved in prostitution. And again more people think they're not victims.

The most interesting link I posted at CrimeNe.ws this week was a rare occurrence, someone on death row who actually took responsibility for his crimes.

At News of Doom we had several disturbing stories this week but the one that disturbed me the most was a story about a Florida DJ who had his eyes cut out.

The news was light this week at MyCrimeSpace but the story that was in the national media spotlight for a bit was about the missing Malibu twins. Luckily they were unharmed for the most part.

At TheTrenchcoat Chronicles the story that righteously raised my ire was a story about two parents who sued a school district for their son getting shot and killed there. You'd think they would have a case but read the post to find out why I think they're trying to collect blood money.

Speaking of blood money at Bad Breeders I posted a story about how I think there are some who are trying to collect their own blood money in the case of missing child Caylee Marie Anthony.

This weekend I've also opened a message board called The Open Trench. You can discuss any story from my blogs or any topic at all.

As usual if you want to follow my blogs you can use Twitter, the RSS feed, or Netvibes, and also Friend Feed.

That's it for this week. I'm Trench Reynolds for DBKP.

You will come to know when the bullet hits the bone.

by Trench Reynolds
image: Trench Network

Texas Takes a Stand Against MySpace

Texas is the last state standing, refusing to sign an agreement with Myspace.com in regards to protecting children from online predators and cyberbullies.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott stated in a letter to Chris DeWolfe, Chief Executive Officer of MySpace, his reasons for Texas' refusal to sign.

"We are concerned that signing would be misperceived as an endorsement of the inadequate safety measures contained therein," Abbott said in his two-page letter. "Doing so would give Texas parents and their children a false sense of security."

From Digital Trends:

Social networking powerhouse MySpace has reached an agreement with 49 states' attorneys general to implement a wide range of online safety principles designed to enhance the safety of minors using the site. Among other changes, MySpace will set up a registry that parents can use to prohibit their children from setting up an online profile, and will change the default privacy setting for profiles of 16 and 17 year-olds on the service from "public" to "private," so they can only be contacted by people they know. MySpace and the states are also hoping their Joint Statement on Key Principles of Social Networking Sites Safety will be adopted as a standard by the wider social networking industry.

Abbott's letter to MySpace stated he hoped his office and MySpace will continue negotiations and that they will be able to reach an agreement.

Abbott contends that MySpace's new proposals fail in one key area, that of age verification from potential MySpace users. The case of Megan Meiers highlights this problem.

Megan, a young teenager from Missouri, thought she had met a 16-year-old boy named Josh on MySpace. After several weeks of online chatting, the tone of the relationship changed when "Josh" became abusive towards Megan.

On Monday, October 16, 2006, Megan signed on to her MySpace account. When her mother called her from a dentist's appointment, Megan was in tears.

"They are posting bulletins about me." A bulletin is like a survey. "Megan Meier is a slut. Megan Meier is fat."

Megan committed suicide that day, hanging herself in her closet. The quiet tranquility of the neighborhood was shattered by Megan's death. It was six weeks later that Megan's family learned that the supposed 16-year-old "Josh" was really a middle-aged woman who lived four doors down, her daughter, a one time friend of Megan's. DBKP - MySpace Cruel Prank

The Texas Attorney General is committed to prosecuting online sexual predators, his stance is that MySpace's agreement doesn't go far enough, guaranteeing age verification.

We're not sure how any online site would be able to absolutely, positively, verify someone's age. Some sites, such as buying cigars or looking at adult "material," all one has to do is check a box stating they are "over 21." As if this tiny box will protect anyone from an online sexual predator or cyberbully.

The Attorney General's office has a website with tips for parents on protecting your children online: CyberCrimes Unit

The FBI and local St. Charles County Prosecutor in Missouri investigated the Megan Meiers case and decided to not bring any charges against the neighborhood woman. Several cities and towns in the area passed online cyberbully statutes in the wake of Megan's story.

As for Texas and MySpace, the Attorney General makes a valid point. If MySpace is still unable to verify someone's age then online sexual predators will be able to join the popular site, looking to lure young children into relationships.

In the end, parents need to be at the forefront in educating their children on the dangers of being online, of sharing personal info, of allowing strangers to strike up a "friendship."

By LBG
Imae - MySpace
Source - Lubbock Online
Source - MySpace Cruel Prank Leads To Teen's Suicide



DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

MySpace Mayor Poses in Underwear on Town Firetruck

Victoria's Secret, Look Out!

Calmly Fights off Recall Efforts

Mayor is on fire;
So are some of her constituents

"I'm not going to change who I am. There's a lot of officials that have a personal life, and you have people in this community who have nothing better to do than scrape up stuff like this."

--Arlington, OR Mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist

Curvaceous MySpace Mayor, Carmen Kontur-Gronquist, now has her MySpace page set to "private", but the casual searcher can still see that the Arlington, OR Mayor describes her mood as "silly".

The townspeople who are leading the charge for her recall are a little more subdued.

And anyone can still see that the Mayor was logged in yesterday, a few days after her provocative MySpace pictures hit the public airwaves. Her MySpace account had already been set to "Private" by then, but not before someone had tipped off the local TV station, KATU, to the MySpace Mayor's photo shoot alongside the Arlington town firetruck.

Kontur-Gronquist also doubles as the fire department's executive secretary.

So, she's in the clear--she probably gave herself permission to use the Arlington firewagon for the "Mayors Gone Wild" backdrop.

Be that as it may, the town's annual meeting was this past Wednesday night.

Some citizens campaigned for the Mayor's recall. From all reports, she seemed as calm at the town meeting before the citizens who had gathered to voice their concerns.

One wonders if the Mayor was employing an old trick that speakers have used for years to cure "butterflies in the stomach".

Imagine that everyone in the room is in their underwear.

Or maybe not.

Mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist - who created a stir with her decision to post a photograph of herself, clad only in a black bra and panties, on her MySpace page - calmly listened to and then ignored calls for her resignation.

In a town of 500, as is Arlington's population, 30 citizens are about 6%--but how many of them were voters?

And how many had just showed up for the drama?

Nearly 30 citizens stood with Ron Miller Wednesday night as he addressed Kontur-Gronquist at a council meeting that attracted far more than the usual number of constituents. Miller listed five complaints against the mayor - the first four dealing with city business and, lastly, the photo of the scantily clad mayor on a town fire truck.

"The apparent lack of city leadership has become so blatant we feel a change needs to be made," he said. Miller said if the mayor was unwilling to resign, the group would proceed with a recall petition.

Earlier this past week, the following was the typical report that most of the nation saw on the MySpace Mayor's shenanigans.

Some of the mayor's roughly 500 constituents will want to know her views on the issues affecting the Eastern Oregon community; others will want to talk about her underwear.

The mayor's lingerie is a hot topic here, with some residents upset that she posted pictures of herself wearing only a black bra and panties on her MySpace page. She was on one of the town's fire engines.

Kontur-Gronquist's MySpace page is blocked to all but her friends, but the pictures were at one time available to all users. Someone sent the picture at the top of the page to local TV station, KATU, last week.

This is what the local station had to report.


In an interview with the (Pendleton) East Oregonian, the mayor said she did nothing wrong and those who are offended need to get over it.

"That's my personal life," she said. "It has nothing to do with my mayor's position."

Kontur-Gronquist, who is also the fire department's executive secretary, said the photos were taken before she was elected mayor three years ago, and she saw no reason to remove them from the Internet after taking office.

"I'm not going to change who I am," she said. "There's a lot of officials that have a personal life, and you have people in this community who have nothing better to do than scrape up stuff like this."

Lorena Woods is one of those residents who say the photos of a scantily clad mayor reflect badly on Arlington.

"It's a picture of her in bra and panties on a rural protection fire truck in a rural protection fire hall," Woods said. "This isn't the way we want our city to be portrayed."

Councilman Jeff Bufton said he's heard a lot of negative comments about the pictures but declined to say whether the council plans to address the topic.

Some residents said they were starting a recall petition.

And at least one city council member is speaking out, saying the photos are inappropriate and send the wrong message to kids.

"It gives the impression that it's just OK to do whatever you feel like doing, whenever, and not have any kind of concern about how it might affect other people, and that is a big concern I have," council member Alice Courtney told KATU.


Nothing up my sleeve...

Will the Mayor be recalled?

Will Carmen Kontur-Gronquist be thrown out on her ear, to fend for herself in a cruel and unfeeling world?

Will she apply to Victoria's Secret for an open model position?

Will the lingerie company tell her they'll hire her, but she has to supply her own fire truck?

The crisis in Arlington, OR continues.

UPDATE: January 30, 2008 MySpace Mayor Now Quiet as Others Ride to Her Rescue

by Mondoreb
Sources:
* timworstall
* Oregon mayor ignores call for resignation amid MySpace picture scandal
Back to DBKP at Blogger Front Page

MySpace Suicide: No Justice For Megan

At a news conference today St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas said there will be no charges filed against those involved in the Megan Meier Myspace Hoax case. Bana said there were no applicable statutes to file charges against Lori Drew and her 18-year-old employee who has been hospitalized for psychiatric treatment.

Banas said he looked at laws related to stalking, harassment and child endangerment, but found no repeated incidents of threats to someone's life or health, and no organized conspiracy. [1]

There seems to be a discrepancy between the police report and what Bana proffers as evidence.

A police report said that a mother from the neighborhood and her 18-year-old employee fabricated a profile for a teenage boy online who pretended to be interested in Megan before he began bullying her.[1]

In today's news conference, Bana stated that it was the 18-year-old employee who was "responsible" for creating the MySpace profile. That the employee was now hospitalized in a psych ward.

Outrage from Missourians over what happened to Megan and Megan's family prompted the Governor to speak with lawmakers as to whether there were any laws on the books that might be applicable to this case.

The city where Megan lived passed its own ordinance against cyber-harassment.

DARDENNE PRAIRIE • City officials declared online harassment a crime Wednesday, fewer than two weeks after they learned of a 13-year-old girl who killed herself after receiving hurtful messages on a popular social networking website.

The Board of Aldermen unanimously passed an ordinance making online harassment a misdemeanor in this city of about 5,500.

"It is our hope that by supporting one of our own in Dardenne Prairie, we can do our part to ensure this type of harassing behavior never happens again, anywhere," said Mayor Pam Fogarty. "After all, harassment is harassment regardless of the mechanism or tool." [2]

Some have argued that what Lori Drew and her cohorts did to Megan was a criminal offense. Others maintain that what they did was immoral but not illegal. The discrepancy between the police report and the prosecutor's statement is interesting. Investigations are tools used by authorities in order to make the decision whether or not to file charges and what class of criminal charges would be applicable to the case.

The prosecutor relayed two separate pieces of information. One, that the county has no laws that they could use in this case. Does this mean if it had the right sort of laws on the books that they could move to prosecute?

Bana said that it was 18-year-old employee who set up the MySpace profile and he seemed to infer that the mother was somehow less involved.

Why would an 18-year-old employee of Lori Drew want to set up a profile of a fake boy in order to taunt and harass a 13-year-old ex-friend of Lori Drew's daughter? We find it quite strange that an employee of Lori Drew, someone who was peripheral to Megan at best, would be the instigator in the hoax.

The recourse left to Megan's parents, at least in the courts, is a civil suit. Lori Drew would have to sit down and answer questions in a deposition. Under oath. Perhaps the "truth" about who was behind the instigation of the fake MySpace profile might be revealed.

No criminal or civil suit will bring back Megan but they could be used to get at the truth. To shed light on what Lori Drew hoped to achieve, what her intent was, the actual plot revealed.

The story of what happened to Megan festered behind closed doors for over a year. Not until the whole truth has been revealed can Megan's family and community begin to heal.

By LBG
Source - [1] - Associated Press - No Charges Filed in MySpace Suicide Case
Source - [2] - Megan Meier Myspace Suicide: Town Cracks Down On Cyber-Bullies
Image [AP Photo]



Back to Front Page.

Megan Meier MySpace Suicide: Complete DBKP Story and Video Listing

UPDATED: January 9, 2008 The story of 13-year-old Megan Meier, who was harassed by adults and others online at social site MySpace and her subsequent suicide. Includes stories concerning the creation of the November 18 2007 blog, "Megan Had it Coming" and the blog's author subsequently claiming in a December 3 2007 post, "I'm Lori Drew". Also includes related stories. * Subpoenas Heat Up Cyber Battles Once Again MHIC: Google and Lori Drew MHIC: A Final Round-Up The Increasing Victimization of Lori Drew Megan Had it Coming Blog: HOAX! Cyber-Bully Quiz: Are You a Cyber-Bully? Kids On-line: 10 Tips For Parents All Big Internet Stories Start as Local Ones A Multitude of Statements Edna Bambrick's in Town and You're Gonna Be Sorry! Internet Porn Watchdog, Edna Bambrick, Monitoring MHIC Comments Lori Drew: Anatomy of an Apology The Mystery of the Megan Had It Coming Blog Megan Had it Coming Blog: Author a Troll? Megan Had it Coming Blogwatch Time Elapsed Since Blog First Appeared. Lori Drew, Megan Had it Coming: What Her Lawyer Says, What Google Says Megan Had It Coming" Blog Still Going Strong St. Louis Post-Dispatch Believes Real Culprits are Bloggers Megan Had it Coming Blog Under Investigation by Local Authorities Megan Had it Coming Blog Vs. Internet Readers, Part III Lori Drew Statement Comparison: What Her Lawyer Says in 2007, What She Said in 2006 Prosecutor Presents Points in Lori Drew's Defense Lori Drew or Internet Troll? - Part II A Conversation Between Lori Drew and Internet Readers? - Part I Lori Drew: Author of 'Megan Had it Coming' Blog? No Justice For Megan Teenage Girls MySpace Profiles Hacked by Predator Cyber Bully Laws to be Enacted VIDEO Parents' Interview with Anderson Cooper 30 Memorable Quotes One More Prayer for Megan Candlelight Vigil Announced by Tina Meier Town Cracks Down On CyberBullies Reactions to the Reactions to the Reactions **Blogger Says Megan Had It Coming** Transcript **CNN Interview With Parents** Video **CNN Interview with Parents** Video **MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story** REACTION **No Justice For Megan** REACTION **Cruel Hoaxers Outed** **Megan's Story May Prevent Others** REACTION: **MySpace Suicide: Outrage! Outrage!** Our Original Story **MySpace Cruel Prank Leads To Teen's Suicide**

by Mondoreb & Little Baby Ginn




Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story Video

MySpace Suicide: The Story Of Megan Meier - Watch more amazing videos here
The tragic story of Megan Meier, victim of a cruel MySpace hoax which led to her suicide.

by Mondoreb
& Little Baby Ginn

More on the Megan Meier MySpace Suicide:

LATEST:
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"

MySpace Suicide:
Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others

MySpace Suicide Reaction:
Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!

MySpace Cruel Prank Leads To Teen’s Suicide




Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Megan Meier MySpace Cruel Hoax: No Justice For Megan

Blue Crab Boulevard weighs in on the Megan Meier MySpace story:

An adult perpetrated an internet vendetta against a 13-year old girl? Even if the goal was to hurt her feelings or emotionally wound her - a grown-up (supposed grown-up) against a child? As I mentioned last night, I have no flexibility on this issue. This is the abuse by an adult on a child. Nobody can bring Megan back, but somebody should damn sure pay for this.

Source - Blue Crab Boulevard - Web Hoax Or Homocide

We've done four stories on Megan. Our outrage has not lessened. We agree with Blue Crab. An adult went after a child, and yes, Megan was still a child.

An adult who used the internet and MySpace to weave a web of lies and deceit, to set the child up and then strike like a snake in the grass: the letter of "condolence" from the perpetrators; the last note from "Josh" to Megan.

Later that day, Ron opened his daughter's MySpace account and viewed what he believes to be the final message Megan saw - one the FBI would be unable to retrieve from the hard drive.

It was from Josh and, according to Ron's best recollection, it said, "Everybody in O'Fallon knows how you are. You are a bad person and everybody hates you. Have a shitty rest of your life. The world would be a better place without you."

Our question is this: Do the hoaxers realize the enormity of what they have done?

If first you practice to deceive...

By LGB

More on the Megan Meier MySpace Suicide:

LATEST:
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"

MySpace Suicide:
Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others

MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story - Video
MySpace Suicide Reaction:
Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!

MySpace Cruel Prank Leads To Teen’s Suicide



DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

MySpace Suicide: Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others

The tragedy of the "MySpace Suicide" of Megan Meiers could prevent others like it from occurring in the future. As news of the tragic story spreads across the nation, perhaps an event calamitous for one family may be an opportunity for others.

Upon reading the story, it's hard to come away feeling anything other than shock, disbelief, outrage or sadness.

13-year-old Megan was the object of mean attacks on the popular Internet site MySpace by, what she thought was, an attractive boy, "Josh", she'd taken a liking to. Others on the site joined in.

The attacks caused the depression-suffering girl to hang herself.

It was later learned that the attacks came not from the boy, who proved to be a fictitious creation, but from adults who lived down the street from Megan.

All this took place eventhough, from all accounts, Megan's mom monitored her Internet use in every way possible. Monitored it much more than most parents, in fact.

How could this story prevent others like it from happening?

TAKE 15 MINUTES

Do you have a teen? Do you watch "Jerry Springer"?

Judge Judy?

Oprah?

Turn off the TV, have them sit down and give them a copy of this story. If they haven't already heard about it, have them read it. They will probably wonder what's up at this point.

Did the news of their adventures in science class somehow reach home?

Chances are, after reading it, most will have similar reactions to adults.

Talk to them. Ask them what they think about the story. What would they do in Megan's case? Do they know any of their friends who've met fake characters online? Do they know how often it happens?

How would react if someone on line "said things about them"?

No definitive conclusion need be reached in the discussion. The fact that they're sitting down talking with a parent might be old hat. That's good.

But it might be a new experience--for everyone involved. They will certainly notice that you turned off the TV. That might tip them off that this is serious.

Maybe this sad story might cause them to think, if only for a moment. The disastrous story of the death of Megan Meier may stick with them. Maybe they'll file it away for future reference.

In the end, you can turn the TV back on at the end of all this: you won't have missed much. Jerry, Oprah and Judge Judy won't miss the ratings points. Your teen may look at you funny. That comes with territory--or should.

The word most often used to describe the MySpace suicide of Megan Meier is "tragedy". It is apt. Maybe this tragedy can prevent another Megan from occurring.

It's too late for Megan Meier and her grief-stricken family. It may not be too late for others.

by Mondoreb

More on the MySpace suicide of Megan Meier:

MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story - Video
MySpace Cruel Prank Leads to Teen's Suicide
MySpace Suicide Reactions: Outrage!

[UPDATE: 11:40 11-15-07] Prosecutor to Take Another Look at Case

A St. Charles County teen commits suicide after being targeted by an online attack, but those who instigated it face no criminal charges, or could they? The county prosecutor says he never saw the complete case file. He doesn't want to give anyone false hope, but he says it's not yet case closed.

"Me personally, I've never seen anything on this case," says St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas. He says from what he's heard he knows hearts are broken, but he doesn't believe laws were.

More on the Megan Meier MySpace Suicide:

LATEST:
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"

Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Cruel Hoax: No Justice for Megan
Cruel Hoaxer's Outed: Let the Lesser Outrage Begin
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Reactions: Outrage! Outrage!



Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

MySpace Suicide Reaction: Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!

The "MySpace Suicide" reaction to the Megan Meier story has been outrage. Outrage on a lot of levels.

Outrage at the vicious Internet attack on a 13-year-old girl by parents of the girl's erstwhile friend.

Outrage that the responsible adults have not been held accountable by the law.

Outrage that the only action taken has been a complaint filed by the parents who concocted this cruel hoax against the parents of the girl who committed suicide. They filed a complaint with local police against Megan's parents.

The reason?

After finding out who was responsible for the creation of the fictitious MySpace account that led to their daughters suicide, Megan's parents destroyed a foosball table they had been storing for the heartless adults.

Some of that outrage surfaced at the Orlando Sentinel:
Girl Commits Suicide Over Internet Prank by ADULTS--Who is Responsible?

I heard this on the MJ Morning Show this morning and had to share. This story is so heinous, disgusting...I don't even know where to begin.

Any folks out there who are lawyers, law enforcement officers, or judges--can you shed some light? I'm looking for your input.

Some of it surfaced at the home of the original reporter, Steve Pokin, of the story in suburban St.Louis. Readers Respond in Force to Story on MySpace Suicide

Some of you have asked your children to read the story and have requested/demanded to look at their MySpace pages.Of course, there has been outrage over the fact that Josh Evans - a 16-year-old who never existed - was created not by a teen, but by an adult. That anger is reflected in the comments posted on the Journal's Web sites.

The comments on both pieces were mostly of the "WTF" variety.

BACKGROUND:
Cruel MySpace Prank Leads to Teen's Suicide

DBKP, because we were the first in the blogosphere to pick up on this story, was contacted early yesterday morning by FoxNews from New York. The story is still flying under the radar for most of the nation.

It will get more attention for a variety of reasons. It's tragic that a young girl lost her life. It's tragic that it was adults that were responsible for her misery.
And that tragedy continues that no justice has been found for the bereaved parents of Megan Meiers.

It will draw attention to the mostly unsupervised world that teens inhabit on MySpace. The Internet, in our minds, should remain free.

However, that puts a responsibility on parents to properly supervise their children's actions. It's a responsibility that many parents voice, but far fewer practice.

It will command some space in any article wishing to argue against 'decadent American suburbia'. It will serve as an excuse to discuss some writer's pet peeve, however unrelated to this story it may be.

Additionally, it may focus attention on a culture that focuses on drama 24/7. The betting here is that there are more conversations on the latest drug-induced bumblings of Britney than there are about responsibility in many homes.

Drama sells.

Ask Inside Edition or any of the celeb-pandering shows that proliferate on the tube.

The story of Megan Meier is tragic story.

Hopefully, that story will spark some conversation and debate that will prevent other stories like hers from happening.

by Mondoreb

More on the Megan Meier MySpace Suicide:

LATEST:
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"

MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story - Video

Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Cruel Hoax: No Justice for Megan
Cruel Hoaxer's Outed: Let the Lesser Outrage Begin
MySpace Suicide: Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others Like It
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide: Cruel Hoaxers Outed, Let The Lesser Outrage Begin

Mondoreb @ BNN:
MySpace Suicide Reaction: Outrage!



Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

MySpace Cruel Prank Leads To Teen’s Suicide

A cruel, and unbelievably vicious prank perpetrated upon a young girl has stripped away the Leave It To Beaver veneer of a suburban St. Louis neighborhood. A fourteen year old girl is dead by her own hand, her parents shattered and in disbelief, and the wonder if there will be justice for their daughter.

Will there be justice for Megan Meier?

UPDATE: MySpace Suicide Reaction: Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!

My Space' hoax ends with suicide of Dardenne Prairie teen

By Steve Pokin
Monday, November 12, 2007 5:48 AM CST

His name was Josh Evans. He was 16 years old. And he was hot.

"Mom! Mom! Mom! Look at him!" Tina Meier recalls her daughter saying.

Josh had contacted Megan Meier through her MySpace page and wanted to be added as a friend.Yes, he's cute, Tina Meier told her daughter. "Do you know who he is?"

"No, but look at him! He's hot! Please, please, can I add him?"

Mom said yes. And for six weeks Megan and Josh - under Tina's watchful eye - became acquainted in the virtual world of MySpace.

Josh said he was born in Florida and recently had moved to O'Fallon. He was homeschooled. He played the guitar and drums.

He was from a broken home: "when i was 7 my dad left me and my mom and my older brother and my newborn brother 3 boys god i know poor mom yeah she had such a hard time when we were younger finding work to pay for us after he loeft."

As for 13-year-old Megan, of Dardenne Prairie, this is how she expressed who she was:

M is for Modern

E is for Enthusiastic

G is for Goofy

A is for Alluring

N is for Neglected.

She loved swimming, boating, fishing, dogs, rap music and boys. But her life had not always been easy, her mother says.

She was heavy and for years had tried to lose weight. She had attention deficit disorder and battled depression. Back in third grade she had talked about suicide, Tina says, and ever since had seen a therapist.

But things were going exceptionally well. She had shed 20 pounds, getting down to 175. She was 5 foot 5½ inches tall.

She had just started eighth grade at a new school, Immaculate Conception, in Dardenne Prairie, where she was on the volleyball team. She had attended Fort Zumwalt public schools before that.

Amid all these positives, Tina says, her daughter decided to end a friendship with a girlfriend who lived down the street from them. The girls had spent much of seventh grade alternating between being friends and, the next day, not being friends, Tina says.

Part of the reason for Megan's rosy outlook was Josh, Tina says. After school, Megan would rush to the computer.

"Megan had a lifelong struggle with weight and self-esteem," Tina says. "And now she finally had a boy who she thought really thought she was pretty."

It did seem odd, Tina says, that Josh never asked for Megan's phone number. And when Megan asked for his, she says, Josh said he didn't have a cell and his mother did not yet have a landline.

And then on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006, Megan received a puzzling and disturbing message from Josh. Tina recalls that it said: "I don't know if I want to be friends with you anymore because I've heard that you are not very nice to your friends."

Frantic, Megan shot back: "What are you talking about?"

SHADOWY CYBERSPACE

Tina Meier was wary of the cyber-world of MySpace and its 70 million users. People are not always who they say they are.

Tina knew firsthand. Megan and the girl down the block, the former friend, once had created a fake MySpace account, using the photo of a good-looking girl as a way to talk to boys online, Tina says. When Tina found out, she ended Megan's access.

MySpace has rules. A lot of them. There are nine pages of terms and conditions. The long list of prohibited content includes sexual material. And users must be at least 14.

"Are you joking?" Tina asks. "There are fifth-grade girls who have MySpace accounts."

As for sexual content, Tina says, most parents have no clue how much there is. And Megan wasn't 14 when she opened her account. To join, you are asked your age but there is no check. The accounts are free.

As Megan's 14th birthday approached, she pleaded for her mom to give her another chance on MySpace, and Tina relented.

She told Megan she would be all over this account, monitoring it. Megan didn't always make good choices because of her ADD, Tina says. And this time, Megan's page would be set to private and only Mom and Dad would have the password.

'GOD-AWFUL FEELING'

Monday, Oct. 16, 2006, was a rainy, bleak day. At school, Megan had handed out invitations to her upcoming birthday party and when she got home she asked her mother to log on to MySpace to see if Josh had responded.

Why did he suddenly think she was mean? Who had he been talking to?

Tina signed on. But she was in a hurry. She had to take her younger daughter, Allison, to the orthodontist.

Before Tina could get out the door it was clear Megan was upset. Josh still was sending troubling messages. And he apparently had shared some of Megan's messages with others.

Tina recalled telling Megan to sign off.

"I will Mom," Megan said. "Let me finish up."

Tina was pressed for time. She had to go. But once at the orthodontist's office she called Megan: Did you sign off?

"No, Mom. They are all being so mean to me."

"You are not listening to me, Megan! Sign off, now!"

Fifteen minutes later, Megan called her mother. By now Megan was in tears.

"They are posting bulletins about me." A bulletin is like a survey. "Megan Meier is a slut. Megan Meier is fat."

Megan was sobbing hysterically. Tina was furious that she had not signed off.

Once Tina returned home she rushed into the basement where the computer was. Tina was shocked at the vulgar language her daughter was firing back at people.

"I am so aggravated at you for doing this!" she told Megan.

Megan ran from the computer and left, but not without first telling Tina, "You're supposed to be my mom! You're supposed to be on my side!"

On the stairway leading to her second-story bedroom, Megan ran into her father, Ron.

"I grabbed her as she tried to go by," Ron says. "She told me that some kids were saying horrible stuff about her and she didn't understand why. I told her it's OK. I told her that they obviously don't know her. And that it would be fine."

Megan went to her room and Ron went downstairs to the kitchen, where he and Tina talked about what had happened, the MySpace account, and made dinner.

Twenty minutes later, Tina suddenly froze in mid-sentence.

"I had this God-awful feeling and I ran up into her room and she had hung herself in the closet."

Megan Taylor Meier died the next day, three weeks before her 14th birthday.

Later that day, Ron opened his daughter's MySpace account and viewed what he believes to be the final message Megan saw - one the FBI would be unable to retrieve from the hard drive.

It was from Josh and, according to Ron's best recollection, it said, "Everybody in O'Fallon knows how you are. You are a bad person and everybody hates you. Have a shitty rest of your life. The world would be a better place without you."

BEYOND GRIEF INTO FURY

Tina and Ron saw a grief counselor. Tina went to a couple of Parents After Loss of Suicide meetings, as well.

They tried to message Josh Evans, to let him know the deadly power of mean words. But his MySpace account had been deleted.

The day after Megan's death, they went down the street to comfort the family of the girl who had once been Megan's friend. They let the girl and her family know that although she and Megan had their ups and down, Megan valued her friendship.

They also attended the girl's birthday party, although Ron had to leave when it came time to sing "Happy Birthday." The Meiers went to the father's 50th birthday celebration. In addition, the Meiers stored a foosball table, a Christmas gift, for that family.

Six weeks after Megan died, on a Saturday morning, a neighbor down the street, a different neighbor, one they didn't know well, called and insisted that they meet that morning at a counselor's office in northern O'Fallon.

The woman would not provide details. Ron and Tina went. Their grief counselor was there. As well as a counselor from Fort Zumwalt West Middle School.

The neighbor from down the street, a single mom with a daughter the same age as Megan, informed the Meiers that Josh Evans never existed.

She told the Meiers that Josh Evans was created by adults, a family on their block. These adults, she told the Meiers, were the parents of Megan's former girlfriend, the one with whom she had a falling out. These were the people who'd asked the Meiers to store their foosball table.

The single mother, for this story, requested that her name not be used. She said her daughter, who had carpooled with the family that was involved in creating the phony MySpace account, had the password to the Josh Evans account and had sent one message - the one Megan received (and later retrieved off the hard drive) the night before she took her life.

"She had been encouraged to join in the joke," the single mother said.

The single mother said her daughter feels the guilt of not saying something sooner and for writing that message. Her daughter didn't speak out sooner because she'd known the other family for years and thought that what they were doing must be OK because, after all, they were trusted adults.

On the night the ambulance came for Megan, the single mother said, before it left the Meiers' house her daughter received a call. It was the woman behind the creation of the Josh Evans account. She had called to tell the girl that something had happened to Megan and advised the girl not to mention the MySpace account.
Source: Suburban Journals - 'My Space' hoax ends with suicide of Dardenne Prairie teen

The story continues to a sad end for Megan's family. There were no winners in this story; there's not much that even the most optimistic could glean from this tale. Just a cruel prank by some vicious, thoughtless people who should have known better.

It's hard to see how after arranging such a cruel hoax with such tragic consequences, the adults involved could instruct their children on any moral or ethical issues that the children might have to deal with later.

It's just a sad story.

Our hearts go out to the parents and family of Megan.

By LBG
[photo:chatinthehat]
notes: Mondoreb

More Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Stories:

All stories listed on ticker in upper left-hand corner of page.

LATEST:
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide: Reactions to the Reactions to the Reactions

Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"

MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story - Video
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Cruel Hoax: No Justice for Megan"
Cruel Hoaxer's Outed: Let the Lesser Outrage Begin
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Reactions: Outrage! Outrage!
MySpace Suicide: Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others Like It



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