Megan’s MySpace Suicide

It all started last year after 13 year-old Megan Meier committed suicide after being dumped by her MySpace boyfriend, “Josh”. Strangely enough, “Josh” turned out to Lori Drew, a mother who wanted to know what Megan was saying online about Drew’s daughter. Drew also enlisted the help of her daughter and an 18 year-old boy to play “Josh”.

Corrupting minors? False identity? Any charge here at all? According to St. Charles Country prosecutor Jack Banas no charges can be made against Drew and her accomplices. According to this quote from the Fox News article (read it here), Banas says, “Their purpose was never to cause her emotional harassment that we can prove. There’s a difference between what people think or what we may believe the reason was that they created this, it’s what we can prove and what a jury would believe.”

Did you catch it? “Their purpose was never to cause her emotional harassment that we can prove.” Drew and her co-horts may be guilty of something, but it cannot be proven in the court of law. The charges won’t stick and the case would be thrown out of court.

Megan Meier, courtesy of Fox News 

Can’t you hear Lady Justice weeping? Doesn’t something in you scream, “But…but…this woman is guilty!”? A 13 year-old girl is dead and we want answers. We want to blame someone and that someone may well be Lori Drew, a menacing and conniving woman who not only harassed young Megan Meier, but also taught her daughters to do the same. Who’s got a millstone to tie around Drew’s neck?

Then again, we shouldn’t be so quick to cast the first mill stone (plus, it would be difficult to pelt a millstone at someone). As youth leaders, many of us are acutely aware of the impact our actions, decisions, and words can have on youth. We say things we wish our youth didn’t hear, do things we wish our youth didn’t see, and act in ways that are not in accord with our calling as shepherds. Yet Lori Drew crossed the line. Her actions were intentional, and even though it can’t be proven, I believe she wanted to cause harm to a 13 year-old girl.

According to Drew’s attorney, Drew didn’t actually create the page–she used an 18 year-old employee to do it instead. Naturally, this man couldn’t be interviewed because he was in the state hospital. Great. I wonder if Drew knew this employee had mental problems before she encouraged him to let loose on a 13 year-old girl. Maybe Lori Drew’s the one that should be looked in a mental health facility.

And what of Megan Meier? At 13, she wasn’t even old enough to participate on MySpace (users must be 14). Yet her mother, Tina Meier, claims that she monitored Megan’s online activity closely–just not close enough. After receiving hateful messages and posts from “Josh” , Megan Meier, closed the door to her bedroom and hung herself. She died the next day.

Generally, 13 year-olds have a new boyfriend or girlfriend every other week. Most of these teens don’t kill themselves over a break-up, but Megan Meier was different. Already on medications for depression, life suddenly seemed too overwhelming for Megan. Obviously, Megan had emotional problems, which may or may not have been addressed. An emotionally volatile girl with an internet boyfriend on a social networking site in which she’s not old enough to participate–does anyone else see red flags?

Just add in Lori Drew’s special brand of emotional toxicity, and you have a recipe for disaster. Megan’s choice to commit suicide was all her own, but I am truly astounded by the adults who helped her on her way. Or didn’t help her. Then again, it can’t really be proven in a court of law, can it?