Mom indicted in deadly MySpace hoax

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A Missouri mom was indicted Thursday for her alleged role in the death of a teen who killed herself over a failed Internet romance that turned out to be a hoax.

A federal indictment accuses Lori Drew, 49, of O'Fallon, Missouri, of using the social networking Web site MySpace.com to pose as a 16-year-old boy and feign romantic interest in the girl.

The girl, Megan Meier, committed suicide after her online love interest spurned her, according to prosecutors, telling her the world would be a better place without her.

Drew faces up to 20 years in prison on charges of conspiracy and accessing protected computers to obtain information to inflict emotional distress.

The indictment, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, accuses Drew and others of registering on MySpace as "Josh Evans" and using the account to lure Meier into an an online romance.

Authorities have previously said that Drew set up the account to find out what Meier, who lived in her neighborhood, was saying about her daughter.

Prosecutors allege that Drew and the others violated MySpace's terms of service by using false information to create the account so they could "harass, abuse or harm" Meier, according to the indictment.

The two corresponded for about four weeks before "Josh" broke off the relationship, authorities said. Within an hour, Meier hanged herself in her room and died the next day.

The indictment does not allege that Drew sent the final message telling Meier the world would be a better place without her. Instead, it blames her unnamed co-conspirators, who authorities have previously said include a teenage girl.

After Drew learned of the teen's suicide, the indictment alleges, she directed one of the teens involved to "keep her mouth shut" and deleted the account.

Meier's mother, Tina Meier, told CNN in November that her daughter had self-esteem issues and had struggled with depression since childhood.

She said when her daughter began receiving messages from "Josh" telling her she was pretty, she was thrilled.

When "Josh" broke off the relationship, Tina Meier said, her daughter was devastated.

"She was looking for me to help calm herself down like I always did and be there for her. And I was upset because I didn't like the language she was using, and I was angry she didn't sign off when I told her to," Tina Meier told CNN

"She said to me, 'You're supposed to be my mom, you're supposed to be on my side,' and then took off running upstairs," Tina Meier said.

Tina Meier found her daughter hanging by a belt shortly afterward.

"It's as if my daughter killed herself with a gun," Meier's father, Ron, told CNN. "And it's as if they loaded the gun for her."

Drew is scheduled for arraignment in June.

"This adult woman allegedly used the Internet to target a young teenage girl, with horrendous ramifications," U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien said in a written statement.

"Any adult who uses the Internet or a social gathering Web site to bully or harass another person, particularly a young teenage girl, needs to realize that their actions can have serious consequences," O'Brien said.

More?

Mom indicted in deadly MySpace hoax - CNN.com

I think 20 years would be appropriate punishment.An Adult should have known the dangers of playing with the emotions of a minor.

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The Optimist expects it to change.
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This story made me wonder about these forums. We all have false identities here. So if I told you to **** off and die. And you were so upset you killed yourself am I at fault.
This case has implications.

Such a lack of remorse...

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I think this sums it up. This was a grown woman bullying and harassing a young girl. Regardless of her motivations (it sounds from the article like the victim was no walk in the park herself) she certainly should have known better than to act like a malicious teenage girl,

If this is what the parent does, what can be expected of the child??? An eye for an eye is never the right way to go,

I think this case has the added factor that this woman knew the girl, and targeted her via the internet. If you told me to jump off a bridge, and it turns out I am some unstable looney and actually did it, you would have the defense of "how was I to know she was a wacko?".

This mother knew who she was talking to, and should have known it was wrong and would have serious implications on this girl's psyche. I'm sure she probably never suspected this outcome though - which still does not absolve her.

As adults we are responsible for our actions. The women knew the girl,this was not an anonymous crime! There are some 1st amendment issues here,however..with free speech comes responsibility,one cannot yell fire in a crowded theater that is not on fire! Why?...because it puts lives at risk under a "false" pretense.The women may not end up getting the maximum sentence but I have little doubt that she will ultimately be convicted and the conviction will be upheld if she decides to appeal.There is also a conspiracy of silence involved here.

__________________

The Pessimist complains about the wind.
The Optimist expects it to change.
The Realist adjust the sails - William A. Ward

I read about this somewhere on a blog That is how I first found out there was a teen suicide connected with myspace. I can't remember the exact blog, but this is the gist of what I read. Of course I tossed the story asside thinking it was a hoax of a hoax. So the police must have found evidence this was done by the woman who was indicted?

And Mikeyy, I agree this has implications for us all. We better watch who uses our PC's.

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218 Days till Christmas

Here's more
Crimerant Blog Archive Did Lori Drew author the blog, Megan Had it Coming?

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218 Days till Christmas

Remember the key here is that she knew the young girl and knew she had suffered from and been under treatment for depression and she set out to hurt her emotionally. The problem was the state of Missouri laws are out of date as opposed to other states which could have charged her with an internet/harassing crime. So the Feds had to step in on this one.

Watch for a plea bargin.