Girl, 13, commits suicide after online bullying*

By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles
Last Updated: 2:27am GMT 20/11/2007

A 13-year-old girl hanged herself after she fell victim to a
cyber-bullying campaign orchestrated by the mother of one of her
classmates, who masqueraded online as a "good looking" teenage boy.

Megan Meier was in great spirits after she began corresponding with a
16-year-old named Josh Evans, who she met on MySpace, the popular social
networking site. They exchanged messages for six weeks before he
abruptly ended the friendship, telling her he had heard she was cruel.

The next day, Megan, who suffered from depression and attention deficit
disorder, committed suicide. Her parents later discovered that Josh had
never existed but was a fictitious persona created by a woman neighbour
whose daughter had been friends with Megan until they fell out.

The woman, who attended the funeral before being exposed, reportedly
told police she invented the MySpace profile because she wanted to gain
Megan's confidence and find out what the girl was saying about her own
child online.

She also told police that she, her daughter and another girl had all
been involved in the ruse, helping to write messages from "Josh" to Megan.

Following a lengthy investigation, no charges have been brought in the
case, enraging Megan's parents who are determined to see those
responsible prosecuted and also seeking new laws to protect children
from cyber-bullying.

Tina Meier, Megan's mother, said she did not believe anyone intended for
her daughter to kill herself. "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 her local paper, the Suburban Journals of
Greater St. Louis.

Police say they are keeping the case open and have promised to consider
any new evidence.

Megan, who was described as a "bubbly, goofy" girl, died a year ago. Her
parents were asked by the FBI to keep quiet while the case was
investigated. They are speaking out now as tensions over the case
continue to roil their community in Dardenne Prairie, a suburb of St.
Louis, Missouri, and local officials attempt to pass an ordinance
criminalising online harassment.

The day after her death, her father, Ron Meier said he found a message
from Josh telling Megan she was a bad person and the world would be
better without her. There was also a flurry of email postings labelling
Megan "fat" and "a slut".

The woman who created the profile was exposed by the parents of another
girl with access to the Josh account.

Megan's parents, who have since separated, are pushing for a new law "to
get justice for Megan", Mrs Meier said. The proposed internet ordinance
is expected to be debated by city officials this week.