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The Twisted Fate Of Megan Meier
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The Twisted Fate Of Megan Meier I saw a little blurb on CNN news this morning about a young girl who was supposedly driven to suicide after being mentally tortured online through a fake profile on MySpace. Intrigued I went looking for information on this story in order to determine its veracity. So far all I have found outside of the blog world is a report from the St. Charles Journal, which is an internet news site with Suburban Journals - of which I am unfamiliar. Anyway, the jist of the story is that Megan Meier, a 13 yr. old resident of Dardenne Prairie, Mo. hung herself in her bedroom closet after realizing that she had been very publicly humiliated by an internet prank. She was heavy, and she lacked self-esteem. Suddenly, a boy appeared asking to be accepted into her friend network on MySpace. He represented himself with a handsome photograph and kind words. They chatted for weeks and then suddenly "Josh" called it off, saying that he heard she was mean to her friends. Subsequently he began to be mean to her and got others in her school to join in. It turns out that "Josh" was created by the MOTHER of an on-again off-again neighborhood friend of Megan's. This adult woman wanted to find out what Megan thought about her and so embarked on a ruse that ended with fatal consequences. Google Megan Meier St. Charles Journal, and read the article. Even though I have not yet satisfied myself that what I read is all true, the issue sure is one that resonates. Fake profiles and internet harassment can lead to terrible results. Certainly it behooves us to not trust anyone on the internet, as well as to grow some skin if we do decide to play there. What do you guys think of all this? For more on this story, please see Megan Meier Update  |
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my skin is very thick...true ...omg Keith...it is so cruel if it is a true story...That Mother (ADult)....should take ownership as to that childs untimely death...this story sickens me....i am nausiated by this...gotta go read this story...shakes head in disbeilf....Keith,...you want to make me cry tonight...???  []   Seduce my mind and my body
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11/14/2007 5:52 pm |
Even it is not true it might s well be. I strongly believe that not enough is done by PARENTS to protect their children from the bad side of the internet. Its not enough to install a net nanny. Kids are clever little buggers and can always get around them if they wish. Parents should educate their children about the internet in a way that prepares them. Sadly, most parents opt out of the duty. Adults can take their chances as they see fit. But kids must be protected! My blog is a free-fire zone. Come armed with a sense of humor 
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my skin is very thick...true ...omg Keith...it is so cruel if it is a true story...That Mother (ADult)....should take ownership as to that childs untimely death...this story sickens me....i am nausiated by this...gotta go read this story...shakes head in disbeilf....Keith,...you want to make me cry tonight...??? More's the pity... 
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Even if it's not true I would be willing to bet that there is more than one parent out there who has tried something similar.
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Even it is not true it might s well be. I strongly believe that not enough is done by PARENTS to protect their children from the bad side of the internet. Its not enough to install a net nanny. Kids are clever little buggers and can always get around them if they wish. Parents should educate their children about the internet in a way that prepares them. Sadly, most parents opt out of the duty. Adults can take their chances as they see fit. But kids must be protected! Of course children have a way of avoiding the rules, don't they mate? blog on!
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Yeah, I hear ya southrnpeach. Middle school is a vicious place in some respects, with regard to teenage girls. Boys just duke it out and it's over.
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Well Arti, it is rather difficult to prove something like that in a court of law. Only the deceased can truly say why they have committed such tragic acts. And they aren't talking... blog on!
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Which is why I posted this without verification, CHIEF. P.S. It's good to find your flowers in my blog again, lover girl.  blog on!
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11/15/2007 1:46 am |
I have had some very rude things said about me when I first came on this site... and when I read the hypochritical words the pregenator of the abuse toward me on the blogs I still feel the anger rise. There are many adults on this site that play those games all the time. I do not believe I will ever open my blog of the rudeness pushed upon me in the first months I was here. One of the creeps still bothers me every so often. Thankfully I was an adult and learned quickly and moved away from such ignorant people. I have found great people online and have learned great ways to keep the rude and ignorant people out of my 'personal space' on the site. Like they say, it takes all kinds to make a village but here on the net we get more of the people who "Wish they had a life." L'Oracle de L'Amour
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11/15/2007 8:29 am |
Even it is not true it might s well be. I strongly believe that not enough is done by PARENTS to protect their children from the bad side of the internet. Its not enough to install a net nanny. Kids are clever little buggers and can always get around them if they wish. Parents should educate their children about the internet in a way that prepares them. Sadly, most parents opt out of the duty. Adults can take their chances as they see fit. But kids must be protected! Blogito ergo sum.
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Even it is not true it might s well be. I strongly believe that not enough is done by PARENTS to protect their children from the bad side of the internet. Its not enough to install a net nanny. Kids are clever little buggers and can always get around them if they wish. Parents should educate their children about the internet in a way that prepares them. Sadly, most parents opt out of the duty. Adults can take their chances as they see fit. But kids must be protected! I figured if their friends are going to help them get past parental controls, I'd have my friends help me keep them under MY control. The only thing I HAVE to do is eat, shit, and die. Everything else is a choice.
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Hi Keith. I read the article. Aren't there some sort of laws involving conspiracy, harassment, slander, libel, defamation of character, willful malice. These (expletive withheld) idiots knew of Megan's fragile state - or assumed it by saying that she 'attempted suicide before'. Worse, they were adults. They should be held accountable. Just as frightening is that there could be sexual predators on that site. The laws must catch up with technology. The law-makers of countries should get their thumbs out of their asses.     Proud Canadian!       
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Suburban Journals runs a small conglomerate of weekly and twice weekly local newspapers. In other words, for those towns the city papers don't think count. So the news reports are valid. I think the entire thing is tragic. An ADULT hires a temp to help her harass a 13 year old girl? One with a history of depression and self esteem issues? She might as well have hung her. That's petty and vicious and she could benefit from some meds. Since there are no laws in place to arrest them for what they did to Megan, they should use the same law they use for hackers. Prohibit this family from ever owning another computer and not allow all of them to ever use a computer again. BTW, if you do want to verify, police reports are public record. So this is easy enough to verify.
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Obviously the woman is amoral, but guilty of manslaughter under the law? I think not. The victim committed suicide. I imagine that this was an unintended consequence, and if the woman has a conscience she will be paying for her actions the rest of her days.
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What kind of Mother is this woman supposed to be when her action had resulted in someone's else CHILD to die? How can one be so blinded by its own hate and emotion? It is really saddening to read such story. But sadly this is the kind of world we are living in today. Hope this can be a lesson learned for all of us; that we should never 100% be too trusting when in comes to the virtual world.
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11/15/2007 10:49 am |
There are too many mean and fake people on this medium... Thanks for being real  TTFN
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So many ways to find out things/source of things like that happening, and so little enforcement. Not like we don't have dead people {and musicians} walking blogland, along with fakes and fakes out to get the fakes and gawd knows what all! I have seen some 'nice' little sayings, though, like 'Next time you talk about me, click your heels 3 times and say, "I wish I had a life!"' And 'When you talk about me behind my back, while you're back there kiss my ass!"'  Main problem is when they're children they are so vunerable, and can't just blow something off in that way. I saw so many parallels...
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I have had some very rude things said about me when I first came on this site... and when I read the hypochritical words the pregenator of the abuse toward me on the blogs I still feel the anger rise. There are many adults on this site that play those games all the time. I do not believe I will ever open my blog of the rudeness pushed upon me in the first months I was here. One of the creeps still bothers me every so often. Thankfully I was an adult and learned quickly and moved away from such ignorant people. I have found great people online and have learned great ways to keep the rude and ignorant people out of my 'personal space' on the site. Like they say, it takes all kinds to make a village but here on the net we get more of the people who "Wish they had a life." L'Oracle de L'Amour Your experience is evidence that this type of problem is all around us in here. blog on!
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Legend or not, the issue is real enough Rube. LOL, I have seen evidence of these knobs of yours...
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The bloggers are all over this story, NYC. You can bet that the major news services are checking it out thoroughly.
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Thanks, Kofla. Awareness is a big part of the battle, as you well know.  blog on!
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You only know someone from the net ,when you have: Looked deep into their eyes Watched their lips move Observed their body language. I avoid all the "pally" web sites , especially MySpace and FaceBook , both sites are an open invitation to stalkers , lurkers, and those that prey on children. On those types of site , it is hard ,with all the information given to remain anonymous, ,I traced several friends , though the net, and found out almost everything about them, including a short porno,from a young lady I knew briefly that was a featured vid on RedTube, not the sort of thing Mummy would approve of
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Absolutely parents need to take measures to protect their children when they use the net. Stories such as this will hopefully incite more of them to get their heads out of the sand. blog on!
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she should be had for at least manslaughter,its bad enough kids bullying each other but a frigging adult beats the lot poor kidI'm a   and i'm here to stay
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On Lofty's comment, I have no parental controls on our laptop with internet access. My children use it when I am around (but not breathing in their ear the whole time), and I have explained to them about the dangers of the internet, and how there is no proof that someone is who they say they are. My aim in doing this is to teach my children to think when they use the internet, in the same way that I encourage them to think about the purpose behind advertisements. I also want them to feel able to ask me questions about anything that concerns them. No parental control on earth teaches a child to communicate with their parents. The power of the written word is very strong, and there are many lessons to be found in this sad situation.
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