New Developments in the Megan Meier Case

As reported December 3, 2007 from People Magazine the case of Megan Meier. A 13 year old girl that was bullied online by an adult led to the child hanging herself.

As a parent I was shocked and moved to tears reading about Megan. Then I got mad. How could this happen? Who could do such a horrible thing to a lovely, 13 year old child just barely beginning her life. A child... like mine had been. Someones little girl. My son's had been 13 once too.

I've waited for the case to come round and see what if anything our government would do about this. Surely I couldn't be the only person, the only parent in this country that choked down tears while I read her sad story.

Now I am happy there is a glimmer of hope. New reports say that finally Megan may have justice for this vicious and cruel crime.

Quoting People Magazine June 2, 2008 edition, "... Using an untested interpretation of federal law, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles announced the indictment of the neighbor mom Lori Drew, 49, on four felony counts, including conspiracy and gaining unauthorized access to a computer."

Untested? Untested? How long has the Internet and chatting - which I have done myself since 1994 - been around?

This just goes to show that our government needs to seriously pick up the pace and start taking care of online bullying and online crimes especially those against children. What happened to Megan is a sad example of how much influence another person -talking- just talking can have on a child.

The online community is here to stay. It's not going anywhere people. Children especially need protection from online bullying and cruelty just as Megan experienced.

There need to be reasonable laws setup just for the protection of children online. I would like to see it called, Megan's Law.

As an American citizen I am calling on our government our legislators our people, students, parents, everyone to help get this going.

Make Megan's Law not just words but a real force of parents, teachers, students, government officials, everyone that cares for children - something the bullies of this country will never forget.

And please, please remember what I have said before... If you talk online remember to take care in what you say because you never know how the outcome of your words may affect someone else. Especially a child. Remember Megan Taylor Meier.

In Memory of Megan Meier

I am reposting this as there have been new developments in the Megan Meier case.

Below is my original post. The new post is next.

A sad case of online bullying resulted in the death of a 13 year old girl with a history of depression.

After receiving a particularly cruel and hurtful email, she went to her room and hanged herself in her closet.

The teen had suffered from depression since third grade and did take medication for her condition.

When she set up her MySpace account, Megan was happy to talk to the cute 16 year old boy named "Josh" she had met online. Only the "boy" wasn't a boy at all. Megan was actually talking to the mother of a girl she knew that lived just a couple of houses down from her.

Megan died a year ago but the FBI asked her parents to keep the story quiet until they could investigate. Her parents have since split up.

This is a horrible, horrible crime that has left a lovely girl just barely beginning her life dead and her family shattered and destroyed.

And no one is held accountable? That just shows what is happening in the United States today. This entire country is going down the toilet one cruel joke at a time and the government is holding the handle waiting to flush.

We all need to stop online bullying any time we see it. If we can't, then each person should make it their business and take the time to report it to someone who can do something about it.