9 Charged after girl kills herself over bullying

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

That 2nd article is heartbreaking. I've been in her shoes in high school... and I've also been on the other side. Kids are cruel and sometimes it's not the parents. My parents didn't raise me to treat people like that. We hounded a girl in front of her class, in front of a teacher and that teacher did nothing. Now that I look back, it was so horrible.

I think it'd be a great idea for the girls to see her autopsy photos.

DAMN!! THAT IS SICK AND FUCKEN DISGUSTING!!!!!!!



GROSS!!!






INHUMANE!~

















I like it! I got a better Idea...let them witness the embalming in person

[33girl]

Where does the rape come in? The senior guy she dated? Unless he was in cahoots with the bitch squad, I don't think he should be charged.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Where does the rape come in? The senior guy she dated? Unless he was in cahoots with the bitch squad, I don't think he should be charged.

It was probably statutory, which is the same as forceful rape for some if not all states, IIRC. If not feel free to correct me GC legal eagles.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

I too am wondering (not blaming however) why the parents did not seek to pull her out of school. CPS could drag me to jail first, but I would not submit my (future) child to that kind of insult. Even my aunt transferred custody of my cousin to my mother to get her out of her local school system which is prone to in school violence and danger.

And if the school system keeps this up, I feel horrible for the sister. Just the other day in my area a young man who also found his brother who hanged himself was taunted about it by a complete stranger and he beat her almost to death. What will the sister's like be like if this is allowed to continue?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I too am wondering (not blaming however) why the parents did not seek to pull her out of school.

They just might not have known (being from Ireland 'n all) that you can do that.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

It was probably statutory...

So I guess I should being by saying i'm specifically talking about where I am, obviously the law might be different where this girl is at.

With that said, assuming this guy is no older than 18, it wouldn't be considered statutory rape. For it to be considered statutory, the age difference has to be over 3 years. Their age difference isn't enough to consider it statutory.

[AXiDMeesh]

Originally Posted by epchick

So I guess I should being by saying i'm specifically talking about where I am, obviously the law might be different where this girl is at.

With that said, assuming this guy is no older than 18, it wouldn't be considered statutory rape. For it to be considered statutory, the age difference has to be over 3 years. Their age difference isn't enough to consider it statutory.

So is it not considered rape at all?

[epchick]

Originally Posted by AXiDMeesh

So is it not considered rape at all?

If she consented to it, then probably not. It would just be like two people consenting to have sex.


I only know about the age difference thing because a friend of mine had to go through that in HS. She got pregnant with her bf's baby, and the mom tried to have him arrested for statutory. The police wouldn't do anything because there wasn't technically over a 3 year age difference. (she was 16, he was 19)

[honeychile]

The names of those charged so far are out there in some of the articles. The photos can be found at myfoxdc.com by googling images, "Phoebe Prince South Hadley".

I'm amazed that we're just hearing about this now. I'm horrified that these hateful people are so callous!

ETA: Yes, the boys are being charged with statutory rape.

[ASUADPi]

I'm thrilled that this teenagers have been charged!

It is high time that people (parents, administrators, teachers, other students) realize that bullying is a problem! I truly hope that the harshest form of punishment that they can get is handed down to them!

My high school was very big on protecting students from bullies and this was back when anti-bullying laws weren't in effect. I remember an instance when I was a sophomore (so like the 94-94 school year). I took the bus home and my bully and her 3 cronies got off the bus with me and started in on me (the reason, I supposedly was "bashing" the orchestra, to which the bully was a part of, lame I know). Thankfully a friend stayed with me while they harassed me and she eventually got them to leave. As soon as I got home I called my mom, who immediately called the principal. I was pulled into his office the next day (and my principal was like this 6'4" tall man who weighed over 200 pounds, big guy). He made me tell him who the girls were. I did and he suspended them all for like 2-3 days. He flat out told me that until the moment I walked through my front door after school that I was the schools responsibility.

I was thrilled that someone FINALLY had done something to my bully because I had been putting up with her since elementary school. God knows my parents tried their damndest to get her in trouble, but back in the era I grew up, I was the one blamed for the bullying. It was like "well your daughter acts this way" "your daughter dresses this way" "your daughter says this stuff", the blame NEVER went on the bully. Mainly because, as like today, the bullies tended to be the popular kids of the school, who teachers adored and they would target the kids that weren't popular and that the teachers really didn't like.

[deepimpact2]

I have mixed feelings about this. It is getting really old to see stories like this. It would be better if school systems would take the initiative to do more about the bullying before it gets to this point. I fail to understand why it is okay to do something about it AFTER the fact, but no one feels it is serious enough to handle it at the time. smh

But I will say that as sad as this situation is, SHE chose to kill herself. I don't understand that thought process. Skip school. Don't go kill yourself because of bullies at school. We need more kids to just "man up." All this teenage fragility and angst is getting to be really old.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by honeychile

There's a Facebook page: "Expel the three girls who caused Phoebe Prince to commit suicide" Over 26,000 people have joined thus far.

Make no mistake, this ish makes me furious. This story is horribly heartbreaking and I feel so badly for that girl and her family. IDKW the parents didn't pull her out of school or why the administration didn't do more when so many people reported her situation. These little brats need to be charged with whatever bullying laws will allow and be punished as such. But the fact that people (like the above FB group and others who have spoken on the local news here) are saying these little criminals-in-training "caused" the girl to take her life bothers me. The decision to end Phoebe's life was Phoebe's--this is the one thing in this tragedy that was not up to the bullies. Acknowledge that they influenced it heavily and hold them responsible for their despicable actions, but I don't believe it's right to make someone solely responsible for what another person chose to do.

HOWEVER

Originally Posted by honeychile

They had a dance, a cotillion, at the Log Cabin in Holyoke two days after Phoebe’s sister found her in the closet, and some who were there say one of the Mean Girls bragged about how she played dumb with the detectives who questioned her.

As soon as the TV crew was out of sight, one of the Mean Girls came up and slammed the girl who had been interviewed against a locker and punched her in the head.

I hope they are all punished severely and making them look at the autopsy photos is really not a bad idea. And for the love of all things holy, PLEASE don't let the little sister go to that same high school. She's been through enough without all that would go along with that. And do a major overhaul on how administration handles these things as well.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

I have mixed feelings about this. It is getting really old to see stories like this. It would be better if school systems would take the initiative to do more about the bullying before it gets to this point. I fail to understand why it is okay to do something about it AFTER the fact, but no one feels it is serious enough to handle it at the time. smh

But I will say that as sad as this situation is, SHE chose to kill herself. I don't understand that thought process. Skip school. Don't go kill yourself because of bullies at school. We need more kids to just "man up." All this teenage fragility and angst is getting to be really old.

Until you're in someone's shoes who has gone through this, you will never understand. That's not putting YOU down personally, just saying that those who do not understand suicide are usually those who've never been in those situations. Sometimes the bullying is so bad that you feel there's really nothing else you can do. Committing suicide is like getting revenge on the girls. Unfortunately in this case, the girls have no remorse.

Suicide, mutilation, etc., is a disease, not a choice.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Until you're in someone's shoes who has gone through this, you will never understand. That's not putting YOU down personally, just saying that those who do not understand suicide are usually those who've never been in those situations. Sometimes the bullying is so bad that you feel there's really nothing else you can do. Committing suicide is like getting revenge on the girls. Unfortunately in this case, the girls have no remorse.

Suicide, mutilation, etc., is a disease, not a choice.

Many people who study suicide and life threatening behaviors do not see suicide and other self-harming behaviors themselves as the diseases.

The causes and correlates are the potential diseases and disorders. However, not everyone who attempts or commits suicide had what every professional would consider a disease outside of the after-the-fact assumption that anyone who commits suicide had a disease.

So, essentially, you're positing the opposite of what deepimpact said. She says it doesn't make sense/is damn near ridiculous and you say it's absolutely a disease. I posit there's a middle ground that combines personal choice (there is decision making in perceiving suicide as the only way out; and as revenge against the bullies) with social and mental/emotional correlates, but precludes reducing every form of deviant behavior to a "disease."

[Ch2tf]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Where does the rape come in? The senior guy she dated? Unless he was in cahoots with the bitch squad, I don't think he should be charged.

I live in MA and to my knowledge the name of her former boyfriend hasn't been given, so I'm not sure that either of the young men charged is him. That being said, it wouldn't surprise me if these boys aided the "mean girls" in some sort of set up scheme, say at a party with alcohol or something similar. Chances are however, the statutory rape charges are not going to stick/stand during the prosecution.

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I too am wondering (not blaming however) why the parents did not seek to pull her out of school. CPS could drag me to jail first, but I would not submit my (future) child to that kind of insult. Even my aunt transferred custody of my cousin to my mother to get her out of her local school system which is prone to in school violence and danger.

It's not necessarily that easy in MA with zoning and districting laws, not to mention how far South Hadley might be from the next town's high school. The most direct way would involve finding a new home, selling your existing one, etc. etc. something most parents I know would do for their children, but its also not an overnight solution. Compounded with them not being from here, I can see how pulling her out of school was not an immediate decision of the family.

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

And if the school system keeps this up, I feel horrible for the sister. Just the other day in my area a young man who also found his brother who hanged himself was taunted about it by a complete stranger and he beat her almost to death. What will the sister's like be like if this is allowed to continue?

I too am concerned about the younger sister, not only for having to deal with her sisters death, but actually being the person to have found her, and then how she will in turn deal with the situation.

Originally Posted by epchick

So I guess I should being by saying i'm specifically talking about where I am, obviously the law might be different where this girl is at.

With that said, assuming this guy is no older than 18, it wouldn't be considered statutory rape. For it to be considered statutory, the age difference has to be over 3 years. Their age difference isn't enough to consider it statutory.

I think because she was under 15 and they over 16, in MA that is considered statutory, but don't quote me. I honestly don't think however, those charges will ultimately stick.

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

I have mixed feelings about this. It is getting really old to see stories like this. It would be better if school systems would take the initiative to do more about the bullying before it gets to this point. I fail to understand why it is okay to do something about it AFTER the fact, but no one feels it is serious enough to handle it at the time. smh

But I will say that as sad as this situation is, SHE chose to kill herself. I don't understand that thought process. Skip school. Don't go kill yourself because of bullies at school. We need more kids to just "man up." All this teenage fragility and angst is getting to be really old.

While times are new, and harassment and bullying come from all angles with the internet, facebook, etc., I also feel like teen fragility and angst are out of control. Coming from someone who was bullied as a kid (albeit in middle school and pre-internet), manning up was the only option you had. I know some of my teachers knew what was going on, but they definitely never addressed me about it, and to my knowledge they never let school administration or my parents know. Looking back, I should have told my parents and made it explicit to school officials, but the choice was either to "break down" or man up and do what I had to do.

In general, it annoys me that states are legislating bullying. Not everything is common sense, but in most schools it does not take long to determine that bullying is going on, who may be the victim(s) and the perpetrators. I don't think legislation is needed to determine that something needs to be done about stuff like this in schools. In this particular case, this school/their administration were overly negligent and chose not to deal with it because they probably just didn't want to. It boggles my brain that the DA has decided not to file charges against school officials. Personally I'd like to see some type of criminal negligence...paging the GC lawyers, is something like this even feasible?

Just as I was about to hit the submit button, an update came across the local news saying even more students have been pulled from the school in lieu of this situation. No news on who, what their connection is, and if they will be charged however.