Mother's Hoax Kills Thirteen-Year-Old Girl

It's Thanksgiving and as I sit at my oatmeal and read the front page of the Los Angeles Times, I am drawn to an article about a thirteen-year-old girl Megan Meier who commits suicide after being psychologically abused and manipulated by a mother Lori Drew posing as a sixteen-year-old boy "Josh Evans." Already afflicted with depression,  Megan kills herself after "Josh" abruptly halts the relationship he has established with Megan on MySpace. What was Lori Drew's motive? Her daughter had had a spat with Megan so Lori Drew concocted a revenge plot in which she would impersonate a sixteen-year-old boy, communicate with Megan on MySpace, play with her head, and devastate her.  The result? Megan killed herself. Megan's parents Tina and Ron Meier, traumatized by the ordeal, have since divorced. The community has discovered Lori Drew's malicious scheme and has scorned her and her family, even resorting to vigilantism.

Who will write the novel or screenplay of this tragedy? I promote Jim Schutze who dealt with suburban evil in his masterpiece of crime nonfiction titled Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge.

Whether the evil perpetrated by Lori Drew is made into a book or film, she must, like some Old Testament murderer, spend the rest of her days walking the earth in eternal scorn and ostracism. 

Comments

[Fighter2]

Our site deals primarily with predators who prey on other vulnerable adults. However, the Meier case could be a first step in recieving justice for ANY victim who is preyed on by someone online.

We do NOT feel Megan's parents were in any, way, shape or form responsible for what happened. Lori Drew and her family need to take full responsibility. Lori needs prison for 2nd Degree Manslaughter & Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress. Her whole family needs counseling.

The internet justice she is getting is justified, in our opinion. But any vigilante justice we can't condone. We fully support the Meiers and some real justice, not a misdemeanor, is long overdue here.

http://cyberpaths.blogspot.com/2007/11/public-outcry-on-megan-meier-case.html

http://cyberpaths.blogspot.com/2007/11/myspace-hoax-victims-family-seeks.html

http://cyberpaths.blogspot.com/2007/11/web-hoax-led-girl-to-kill-herself-dont.html

[Jeff McMahon]

I agree with your points. Indeed, vigilante justice should not be pursued by anyone.