Myth Blaster – Teenage Girl Commits Suicide Because of Hoaxer

This is a complex story that is based upon a hoax and apparently caused a 13-year-old to commit suicide.

Did an online hoaxer finally get busted? Apparently not, according to the Associate Press, story by Betsy Taylor, December 8^th, 2007 [photo courtesy of Tina Meier]:

A woman linked to an online hoax played on a 13-year-old girl who committed suicide and has been vilified for it may be the subject of a deception – someone on the Internet is posing as her and blogging about the case. Lori Drew’s attorney said Friday that she is not the writer. The St. Charles County sheriff’s department is investigating who is behind the blog postings on Blogger.com to see if a crime has been committed, a spokesman said. The family believes the postings are an effort to damage its reputation following the death of the Megan Meier.
”An Internet message that purports to be a member of the Drew family is being managed by an imposter and undoubtedly is being done for the purpose of further damaging the Drews’ reputation,” the family said in a statement.
A blog entitled “Megan Had It Coming” surfaced more than two weeks ago. Earlier this week, the person writing the blog claimed the messages were being written by Lori Drew. …
A Google spokesman said the company is currently reviewing the impersonation allegation. …
When messages from the fictional boy and others on the Internet turned cruel, including one stating the world would be better off without her, Megan hanged herself in October 2006. Details of the case emerged last month, and the story drew international attention. Since then, the Drews have been besieged with negative publicity, and Meier’s death prompted her hometown of Dardenne Prairie to adopt a law engaging in Internet harassment a misdemeanor. … The prosecutor said Internet harassment and stalking are crimes in Missouri under state law, but noted the sheriff’s department is still investigating if a crime has been committed.