How many lives will be lost to cyber bullying?
Rebecca Ann Sedwick leapt to her death last month from a factory tower in Polk County, Florida. The 12-year-old was bullied for over a year by two teenagers over a boy.
Initially, the two teens were questioned following Sedwick’s death, but they’ve now been charged with aggravated stalking: a third-degree felony.
Police decided to take the teens into custody after the 14-year-old posted this on her Facebook on Oct. 15th:
“Yes, I bullied Rebecca and she killed herself and I don’t give a fuck.”
According to the New York Times, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd was disgusted by the fact that the teen was able to hold on to her social devices given Sedwick’s death.
“I’m aggravated that the parents are not doing what parents should do: after she is questioned and involved in this, why does she even have a device?” Sheriff Judd said. He added, “Parents, who instead of taking that device and smashing it into a thousand pieces in front of that child, say her account was hacked.”
Although the felony for aggravated assault in Florida is up to 5 years in prison, the girls are minors and if convicted, they won’t serve jail time.
Clearly no one is going to learn from their actions if there aren’t any ramifications. Let’s try to stop online bullying one post at a time.
SOURCE: GAWKER| PHOTO CREDIT: FACEBOOK
