The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · by **God Optimus Prime** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:05 pm

Teen distraught at end of MySpace relationship; neighbor family created ID

DARDENNE PRAIRIE, Mo. - Megan Meier thought she had made a new friend in cyberspace when a cute teenage boy named Josh contacted her on MySpace and began exchanging messages with her.

Megan, a 13-year-old who suffered from depression and attention deficit disorder, corresponded with Josh for more than a month before he abruptly ended their friendship, telling her he had heard she was cruel.

The next day Megan committed suicide. Her family learned later that Josh never actually existed; he was created by members of a neighborhood family that included a former friend of Megan's.

Now Megan's parents hope the people who made the fraudulent profile on the social networking Web site will be prosecuted, and they are seeking legal changes to safeguard children on the Internet.

The girl's mother, Tina Meier, said she doesn't think anyone involved intended for her daughter to kill herself.

‘Absolutely vile’
"But when adults are involved and continue to screw with a 13-year-old, with or without mental problems, it is absolutely vile," she told the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis, which first reported on the case.

Tina Meier said law enforcement officials told her the case did not fit into any law. But sheriff's officials have not closed the case and pledged to consider new evidence if it emerges.

Megan Meier hanged herself in her bedroom on Oct. 16, 2006, and died the next day. She was described as a "bubbly, goofy" girl who loved spending time with her friends, watching movies and fishing with her dad.

Megan had been on medication, but had been upbeat before her death, her mother said, after striking up a relationship on MySpace with Josh Evans about six weeks before her death.

Josh told her he was born in Florida and had recently moved to the nearby community of O'Fallon. He said he was homeschooled, and didn't yet have a phone number in the area to give her.

Megan's parents said she received a message from him on Oct. 15 of last year, essentially saying he didn't want to be her friend anymore, that he had heard she wasn't nice to her friends.

Megan seemed upset
The next day, as Megan's mother headed out the door to take another daughter to the orthodontist, she knew Megan was upset about Internet messages. She asked Megan to log off. Users on MySpace must be at least 14, though Megan was not when she opened her account. A MySpace spokeswoman did not return calls seeking comment.

Someone using Josh's account was sending cruel messages. Then, Megan called her mother, saying electronic bulletins were being posted about her, saying things like, "Megan Meier is a [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.]. Megan Meier is fat."

Megan's mother, who monitored her daughter's online communications, returned home and said she was shocked at the vulgar language her own daughter was sending. She told her daughter how upset she was about it.

Megan ran upstairs, and her father, Ron, tried to tell her everything would be fine. About 20 minutes later, she was found in her bedroom. She died the next day.

Her father said he found a message the next day from Josh, which he said law enforcement authorities have not been able to retrieve. It told the girl she was a bad person and the world would be better without her, he has said.

Another parent, who learned of the MySpace account from her own daughter who had access to the Josh profile, told Megan's parents about the hoax in a counselor's office about six weeks after Megan died. That's when they learned Josh was imaginary, they said.

Creator of fake account not charged
The woman who created the fake profile has not been charged with a crime. She allegedly told the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department she created Josh's profile because she wanted to gain Megan's confidence to know what Megan was saying about her own child online.

The mother from down the street told police that she, her daughter and another person all typed and monitored the communication between the fictitious boy and Megan.

A person who answered the door at the family's house told an Associated Press reporter on Friday afternoon that they had been advised not to comment.

Megan's parents had been storing a foosball table for the family that created the MySpace character. Six weeks after Megan's death, they learned the other family had created the profile and responded by destroying the foosball table, dumping it on the neighbors' driveway and encouraging them to move away.

Megan's parents are now separated and plan to divorce.

Aldermen in Dardenne Prairie, a community of about 7,000 residents about 35 miles from St. Louis, have proposed a new ordinance related to child endangerment and Internet harassment. It could come before city leaders on Wednesday.

"Is this enough?" Mayor Pam Fogarty said Friday. "No, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it's something, and you have to start somewhere."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21844203/page/2/

That's just sick.

by **The Happy Locust** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:09 pm

Sorry to sound cruel, but committing suicide over an online friend is just pointless. This girl really should have known better.

as for the perpetrators, I think endangerment or consipiracy charges would hold, but there's really not much else that fits this.

News Credits: 8 · by **Liege Evilmus** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:21 pm

Martha Dumptruck and BIG FUN sayes,

"Teenage Suicide, Don't Do It"

by **Grahf** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:26 pm

As bad as it sounds, how many people actually tell the truth on myspace?

by **Saberspark model H.** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:36 pm

I wonder how that one parent that created Josh feels knowing that she drove a teen to suicide.

by **homelessjunkeon** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:02 pm

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:18 pm

They destroyed a foosball table to make them leave?

by **DesalationReborn** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:32 pm

Gotta say, that kid must have been really deranged. I mean, everyone knows life's a shitpile, but yet you don't see everyone just go out and kill themselves. The ability to wait between the moments of bringtness though the seas of torment is what it's all about...

Damn, I'm boooooooooooooooooooooooored right now...

by **Jazzz** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:45 pm

so some stupid kid, her stupid mom and a friend decided to bully another person to make sure that stupid kid was liked.
those assholes.
that is disgusting!

by **Darth Screamer** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:50 pm

The real point of view of this should be two things:

1.PEOPLE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH TIME ONLINE
2.Where were her parents, and why was a 13 yr old allowed on MYSPACE?

by **Bumblebee-otch** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:03 pm

Darth Screamer wrote:The real point of view of this should be two things:

1.PEOPLE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH TIME ONLINE
2.Where were her parents, and why was a 13 yr old allowed on MYSPACE?

so true. you really have to wonder about how they raised her, if she became so emotionally attached to someone she never met in real life. but it is pretty f@#*ed-up that that woman tricked her like that.

by **Deadpool.** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:12 pm

This sickens me on so maany levels.

News Credits: 2 · by **Moonbase2** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:17 pm

Children shouldn't be allowed to have computers in their bedrooms. When I was a teenager our computer was located in our living room, and chat rooms were forbidden (not what happened in this case, but good parenting nonetheless!). My parents were pretty good about monitering what I did online.

by **Spiderbot101** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:19 pm

Could someone please PM me what "[Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.]" replaces in the report. I'm curious about what they posted on the bulletin about her.

News Credits: 104 · by **Cyber Bishop** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:08 pm

Darth Screamer wrote:The real point of view of this should be two things:

1.PEOPLE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH TIME ONLINE
2.Where were her parents, and why was a 13 yr old allowed on MYSPACE?

True to one extent.. Let me correct that.

1.SOME PEOPLE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH TIME ONLINE

Fixed.
Another thing, too many people use the internet as a crutch as not to actually have interaction with people in the real world.
My 14 year old knows not to ask for a computer in her room with net access.
And Where in the hell was this girls parents??

by **Halo** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:10 pm

The girl was mentally ill. I feel sorry for her family, and the others need to be put in prison.

News Credits: 8 · by **Liege Evilmus** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:00 pm

Moonbase2 wrote:Children shouldn't be allowed to have computers in their bedrooms. When I was a teenager our computer was located in our living room, and chat rooms were forbidden (not what happened in this case, but good parenting nonetheless!). My parents were pretty good about monitering what I did online.

Hell when i was a tenager a TV wasn't even allowed in the bedroom! I have a niece who's near double digits( :cry:

), all she wants for Christmas is a TV for her room.

So for Christmas my sister is getting a 13inch Pirates TV. It's her discresion what room she puts it in(good luck Katie).

I'm just saying, and I know I joked before, but parents watch your F___ING KIDS!

A unobserved 13 year old is a train wreck waiting to happen!

News Credits: 1 · by **Ninja Sixshot** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:15 pm

Liege Evilmus wrote:
Moonbase2 wrote:Children shouldn't be allowed to have computers in their bedrooms. When I was a teenager our computer was located in our living room, and chat rooms were forbidden (not what happened in this case, but good parenting nonetheless!). My parents were pretty good about monitering what I did online.

Hell when i was a tenager a TV wasn't even allowed in the bedroom! I have a niece who's near double digits( ), all she wants for Christmas is a TV for her room.

So for Christmas my sister is getting a 13inch Pirates TV. It's her discresion what room she puts it in(good luck Katie).

I'm just saying, and I know I joked before, but parents watch your F___ING KIDS!

A unobserved 13 year old is a train wreck waiting to happen!

especially one with A.D.D.
yeah, a girl like that should be watched.

by **schizophrenica** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:20 pm

Depression is a very real disease. You really cannot say that anyone is an idiot for killing themselves over stuff that happens on th internet. Some people see depression as a way to get attention or 'just a phase' but in reality that girl really should have been watched more closely..

News Credits: 349 · by **Bed Bugs** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:22 pm

I've said it elsewhere, but I believe that the parents of the child have legal grounds to sue the parent pretending to be the boy for wrongful death.

If OJ Simpson can be sued for what he, this woman can be sued for what she did.

by **Spiderbot101** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:14 am

I have ADD and unlimited net access, in the teens, but at least I'm not THAT crazy! I mean, killing yourself over Myspace??!? WTF??

(Yes, I have her same disorder, but at least I have a pink thing up in my skull, while this girl obviously doesn't, or does, but it's probably shriveled up and grey.)

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:52 am

Spiderbot101 wrote:I have ADD and unlimited net access, in the teens, but at least I'm not THAT crazy! I mean, killing yourself over Myspace??!? WTF??

(Yes, I have her same disorder, but at least I have a pink thing up in my skull, while this girl obviously doesn't, or does, but it's probably shriveled up and grey.)

Did you miss the bit about her being depressed?

schizophrenica was 100% spot on with what she (i'm sure you're a she ... apologies if you're not) said.

Unless someone's suffered it themselves you really cannot understand what a person goes through when they suffer from it.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:41 am

Poor girl, she was depressed and found convert in a KO friend, damn some pp should just be shot!

I mean I'm 19 and I still don't have a TV or a PC with net access in my room and I'm not mentaly disordered.

But what is a foosball?

News Credits: 3 · by **LuckytheWonderLlama** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:45 am

The family that created the fake profile, unfortunately, did nothing illegal. There were are no laws in place to cover what they have done.

From a legal standpoint there are a few possibilities:

1) There is definitely grounds for a civil suit for the parents of the deceased child. They can go after the family that created the profile, however; I see everybody's friend, Tom, in the cross hairs. (i.e. Never sue poor people.)

2) If there are any criminal charges floating around, the state could go after the parents of the deceased for Endangerment of a minor/child, Criminal Neglect, or a plethora of charges that involve Child Protective Services. The only way I see something like this happening is a local official "Running for Re-Election" and attempting to crack down on the "vile evils of the world."

3) Nothing happens but the passing of new legislation that would be near impossible to enforce over such a nebulous and anonymous medium.

Meanwhile we can look forward to the likes of Oprah and Nancy Grace going on and on about the failings of society for the next few months. At least until the next white, female college student and/or wife of a police officer disappears. 8-|

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:36 am

Dead Metal wrote:Poor girl, she was depressed and found convert in a KO friend, damn some pp should just be shot!

I mean I'm 19 and I still don't have a TV or a PC with net access in my room and I'm not mentaly disordered.

But what is a foosball?

It's kind of like a mix between table tennis and pinball, and, of course, Soccer. (I'm not getting into that American Football vs. European Football again) You've got a bunch of rows of "Players" who are controlled by two people on both sides. Each row consists of about three or four "players" (Except for the goalie line, which only has one), and are controlled by pushing and pulling a stick, which makes the "players" in the row move side-to-side, and twisting it, which makes them kick. The objective is to get a small plastic ball into one of the goals at either end, like Soccer, or any team sports, really.

And, man, it's awesome. Better than regular soccer, because you don't waste as much energy, it goes great with beer (If you drink beer, anyway), and you can shout all the hilarious taunts you want.

Here's a Wikipedia article on it.