Death of bullied teen Amanda Todd being investigated by RCMP
October 13, 2012
The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed that a preliminary investigation into the death of the 15-year-old shows she took her own life
By Tiffany Crawford, Postmedia News October 12, 2012
Amanda Todd, a Vancouver area teen who told a heart-breaking story in a YouTube video
of cyberbullying that led to an all-out schoolyard attack, has apparently committed suicide.
In stories and posts flooding Vancouver's social media networks, #RIPAmanda is trending as
people post news and condolences for the teen.
METRO VANCOUVER - The RCMP confirmed Friday that a full investigation has been launched into the circumstances that led to Amanda Todd's death.
The B.C. Coroners Service, meanwhile, has confirmed that a preliminary investigation into the death of the 15-year-old shows she took her own life.
However, coroner Barb McLintock said Friday that the case will be long and complex. Investigators know how she died, but will not release that information.
"We have an extra responsibility when it's a child's death," she said, adding that once the coroner's report is complete, the case will go through a provincially mandated child death review that will look at factors including mental health, friends, harassment and cyber-bullying.
Click here to see more Amanda Todd photos
Todd was found dead in a Port Coquitlam home on Wednesday, five weeks after she posted a heartbreaking video on YouTube detailing how she was harassed online and bullied.
McLintock said after the review is complete there may be recommendations made on a range of issues, including cyber-bullying, though she noted that it would take time given how complicated it can be to deal with the Internet.
The RCMP said a full investigation has been launched into Amanda's death.
"Serious crime teams in Coquitlam and Ridge Meadows are working together, conducting interviews and reviewing any potential contributing factors to her death," said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Peter Thiessen, in a news release Friday.
He said investigators are monitoring social media, and that Coquitlam Detachment's victim services are speaking with the teen's family.
"This is a devastating tragedy, which impacts the community as a whole. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of this young person," he said.
Bullying ranks second, behind substance abuse, for youth issues identified as concerns for the RCMP, he added.
Police are asking people with information related to the investigation to share it via email at: AmandaTODDinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Meanwhile Friday, an outpouring of public support and empathy for Todd's family and friends was posted on social media websites from people around the world.
The news made international headlines and was covered by CNN, Washington Post and the U.K.'s Daily Mail, to name a few. Countless messages of empathy and outrage were trending on Twitter and several Amanda Todd memorial sites were set up on Facebook.
Two memorial pages called RIP Amanda Todd each had more than 4,000 "likes" as of Friday morning.
"She is a beautiful young lady. I am in tears over this," wrote Jennifer Fincher, while many other Facebook users said they hoped she was with angels in heaven.
But not all the chatter was positive. Mike Mace, whose own Facebook page says he is a member of the Canadian Military, faced a flurry of shaming comments after he posted a negative comment mocking her death.
In the comment, he suggests that it's not the bully's fault that she showed her breasts and gave out her private information on the Internet.
"You should be ashamed of yourself," wrote Amber Garofano in response to Mace's comments. Another woman, Ashley Soucy posted, "have a heart."
Offensive photos were also posted on the memorial pages, including one with a person holding a gun to the head, stirred up controversy. One Facebook user called Joseph Lopez posted a picture of Clorox bleach with a caption that read "it's to die for," and in response to the outrage wrote that he was doing it because he thought it was funny.
In September, Amanda posted a video to YouTube entitled My Story: Struggling, bullying, suicide and self harm.
In it Amanda does not speak, but instead holds up to the camera pieces of paper on which she has printed her story, one phrase at a time. She documents a painful tale of being harassed through Facebook and shunned at school, leaving her feeling alone and suicidal.
At one point she talks about harming herself and going home and drinking bleach.
Though there was some negativity, most of the comments, however, alluded to how sad people felt after watching her video. Many people identified with bullying and shared their own stories of being abused in school.
The tragedy sparked much discussion online Friday about cyber-bullying and what can be done to eradicate the problem and how to provide support for the victims.
The Vancouver Sun is joining that discussion. The Sun is hosting a day of dialogue on bullying on Facebook on Friday. Visit The Vancouver Sun - Vancouver, BC - Newspaper | Facebook to join the talk at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Death of bullied teen Amanda Todd being investigated by RCMP
One thing to remember is never to ask for sympathy online. People will just make your life even more miserable. Just look at this place. Of course, as a 15 year old she had no clue. Sad.
Sadder than sad. That facebook/friendship thing sure means a lot to a teen. Fact is she learned some semi-twisted values.
---Update---
Amanda Todd tragedy a cautionary tale for a wired culture
Anja Konjicanin
Posted: Oct 13th, 2012
Amanda Todd was the victim of a predator. He lured her online. Then blackmailed her to death. Sadly, child luring through the Internet is common.
Predator Watch, an initiative of the Children of the Street Society (COTS), has these chilling statistics:
4,000,000 children are posting content to the web every day.
49 per cent of teens that post photos online report being contacted by a stranger.
1 in 10 youth give personal information out to strangers.
1 in 5 youth aged 10–17 years have been solicited sexually online.
13 is the average age that children reported being exploited through the sex trade.
75 per cent of youth who received an online sexual solicitation did not tell a parent.
76 per cent of parents don't have rules about what their kids can do on the computer.
Over a five-year period, child-pornography related offences in Canada have increased over 90 per cent. Canada ranks number two in the world to hosting child sexual images (child pornography) online.
Between 100,000 and 300,000 youth are sexually exploited in North America every year.
Sexual exploitation is less visible on the street but online exploitation has exploded in the recent years.
"Education, education, education—parents need to educate themselves about their children’s technology use and make sure their children are educated about Internet safety," Diane Sowden, executive director of COTS, told the Vancouver Observer.
"This education has to be ongoing for both parents and their children as technology is continually changing (webcam hacking, chat rooms, self-sexual exploitation, for your eyes only (FYEO) images, Facebook use, online tattoo).
Last edited by jonny danger; 14th October 2012 at 19:39.
Fuck me!! This is so sad... FUCK!!!
This is quite sad, I have to admit it has got me thinking.
This is so sad it's one of those stories I wish I hadn't read.
This is one reason why I try very hard to avoid the temptation to bully online. It's so easy, with the cloak of anonymity, to pretend to be a tough guy, or attack everyone you come across, as you allow your id to take over. But some people aren't strong enough to handle it.Originally Posted by cluezo
It's a very sad story, and I hope it inspires some people to reign it in when interacting with people both online and in person.
Ru 14?
Really? 18 hours ago you started a thread by posting this:
Take me down to the paranormal city where the girls are green and they have three titties...
Oh, won't you please take me home?
good eye
good eye for a queer guy
Can't wait to read his newest excuse. It will have to be something about being super educated.
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