Woman Accused of Driving MySpace Teen to Suicide
The heartbreaking suicide of 13-year-old Megan Meier in 2006 came after she believed she had been rejected by her MySpace friend, "Josh Evans." In reality, Josh Evans never existed. According to officials, Lori Drew, the mother of a former friend of Megan's, actually created the Josh Evans MySpace account. Drew is accused of using the character of Josh to make contact with Megan, write her sexually-loaded messages, and eventually, send her nasty and threatening notes via the social networking site. After receiving just such a note from "Josh," which claimed the world would be a better place without her in it, Megan took her own life.
And now, after many months of speculation as well as new safety regulations on MySpace, Lori Drew has been charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization to obtain information in order to inflict emotional distress.
Many feel that Drew, who was 48 when she allegedly created the Josh Evans profile, was maliciously picking on Megan for no other reason than the fact that Megan and Drew's daughter had recently had a falling out. Arguments between 13-year-old girls is nothing new; in fact, such disputes are practically a rite of passage. And for almost as long as tween girls have been bickering, their mothers have been getting involved. As a parent, it is incredibly difficult to stay out of it when you daughter comes home upset. You want to defend your child, and you're most likely going to be furious with anyone who makes your child feel bad. But there is a big difference between trying to defend your child and viciously attacking someone else's kid.
Few would argue that if Lori Drew did create the MySpace account of Josh Evans, she went too far. But is it ever OK to get involved in your children's disputes with their friends? Do you try to stay out of it completely or do you find yourself intervening? Share your thoughts, and then take our internet safety quiz.
--Victoria Loustalot, Real-Time Associate Producer
And now, after many months of speculation as well as new safety regulations on MySpace, Lori Drew has been charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization to obtain information in order to inflict emotional distress.
Many feel that Drew, who was 48 when she allegedly created the Josh Evans profile, was maliciously picking on Megan for no other reason than the fact that Megan and Drew's daughter had recently had a falling out. Arguments between 13-year-old girls is nothing new; in fact, such disputes are practically a rite of passage. And for almost as long as tween girls have been bickering, their mothers have been getting involved. As a parent, it is incredibly difficult to stay out of it when you daughter comes home upset. You want to defend your child, and you're most likely going to be furious with anyone who makes your child feel bad. But there is a big difference between trying to defend your child and viciously attacking someone else's kid.
Few would argue that if Lori Drew did create the MySpace account of Josh Evans, she went too far. But is it ever OK to get involved in your children's disputes with their friends? Do you try to stay out of it completely or do you find yourself intervening? Share your thoughts, and then take our internet safety quiz.
--Victoria Loustalot, Real-Time Associate Producer
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I find it very unfortunate that a forty something women has succumb to behavior characteristic to girls of that age. It is a clear reflection as to who that individual is, clearly showing that she must have had some emotionally distressing past, because if she hadn't, she wouldn't act on instinct which happen to be revenge on a girl her own daughters age. I am an older sister to two girls in that age group and i could never fathom degrading to that sort of behavior despite of my loyalty to my younger sisters. It is always there battle to fight, their relationships, their struggles, guide them in their ventures, but don't become a part of the plan.
I completely agree Mia. I have to seriously wonder what this woman must have been thinking to do what she did and say what she said to this child. I would and do intervene in my children's fights with their friends when things get physical or even to tell a fib like "oh she can't come to the phone but I'll tell her you called" or "he really doesn't feel well today so he can't come outside to play." but I think she went too far. I would create a false account to spy on my kids to make sure that they are doing the right thing but she did this just to bully a kid and that just seems, well, like she's just not right in the head.