South Hadley,MA Phoebe Prince 15 kills self over bullying

[BeenaBobba]

Two students wrote that they'd heard other students saying "horrible things" about Phoebe during their classes on January 14th, even after almost everyone had heard about the tragedy!

I just want to correct something I wrote on page twelve of this thread. As is in quotes above, I wrote that Facebook comments confirmed that students were saying horrible things about Phoebe after they knew she was dead. Actually, the nasty comments being referred to were heard on the January 14th school day, so Phoebe would have been alive at that point. Sounds like January 14th must've been a particularly trying day for her at school.

The comment by Austin Renaud's sister, however, refers to his laughing after he found out she killed herself.

Sorry, I just wanted to clarify this.

 

[stmarysmead]

I just want to correct something I wrote on page twelve of this thread. As is in quotes above, I wrote that Facebook comments confirmed that students were saying horrible things about Phoebe after they knew she was dead. Actually, the nasty comments being referred to were heard on the January 14th school day, so Phoebe would have been alive at that point. Sounds like January 14th must've been a particularly trying day for her at school.

The comment by Austin Renaud's sister, however, refers to his laughing after he found out she killed herself.

Sorry, I just wanted to clarify this.

But I do believe it's factual that her memorial Facebook page was defaced by comments from the bullies. I have read that AFTER her death...one student wrote "accomplished!" on HER own Facebook page and another wrote "she deserved it." These things are removed from the Web, but I imagine LS has a awy to recover them.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...hadley_hs_student_phoebe_prince_into_sui.html

 

[BeenaBobba]

But I do believe it's factual that her memorial Facebook page was defaced by comments from the bullies. I have read that AFTER her death...one student wrote "accomplished!" on HER own Facebook page and another wrote "she deserved it." These things are removed from the Web, but I imagine LS has a awy to recover them.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...hadley_hs_student_phoebe_prince_into_sui.html

That's correct. I just wanted to point out that the students on the Facebook profile I saw were referring to comments made before Phoebe passed away (with the exception of Austin's sister, who was referring to her brother's behavior after the fact).

 

[Hopeful One]

I'm new to this story. It's such a tragedy. All I can think of is that if I was a parent of one of the bullies, I would be mortified and SO ashamed that my child could be capable of being so cruel.

Question - IIRC, two boys were charged with statutory rape. Was she having consentual sex with these boys? And then they were bullying her? Were they friends at first?

 

[Paladine]

I'm new to this story. It's such a tragedy. All I can think of is that if I was a parent of one of the bullies, I would be mortified and SO ashamed that my child could be capable of being so cruel.

Question - IIRC, two boys were charged with statutory rape. Was she having consentual sex with these boys? And then they were bullying her? Were they friends at first?

We have a link posted that confirms Sean Mulveyhill did date Phoebe and after they broke up allegedly "he turned on her". Some liken the possible dynamics to that of the young Texas couple that killed the female rival. The other boy, Austin Renaud, I'm not sure about. Word is, no links, there were 2 boys and 2 sets of jealous girls...

IMO...I think the D.A. will focus on the fact that Phoebe was vulnerable, this wasn't a relationship of equals.
Phoebe, a freshman, a newcomer to the country. Sean, a senior, the football captain, the local, the popular ladies man...and voted class flirt, this year, btw...(link on this thread).

Beena...let me have a coffee, or two and I'll get working on some inconsistant statements.

 

[Paladine]

check out craigslist...I'm reading many rumors of a beating the day Phoebe died...wonder if that will pan out to be true? Or will be mentioned in the indictment?
http://westernmass.craigslist.org/rnr/

 

[OrdinaryLife]

check out craigslist...I'm reading many rumors of a beating the day Phoebe died...wonder if that will pan out to be true? Or will be mentioned in the indictment?
http://westernmass.craigslist.org/rnr/

I just have to share this thought after reading some of those posts on craigslist.....

It is one thing to have a strong opinion (gawd knows, I do!), but it's another thing to incite more hate. Hate that started this whole tragic story for Phoebe Prince and her family. People are doing the exact same thing and I find extremely disturbing. Put your energies into promoting safe school for all children, not continuing to teach them the contradiction of such.

imvho......

 

[Paladine]

THIS older piece is an amazing read, so much info! Found it while working on another post, thought I'd share...
http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/bullied-to-death-2098808.html

 

[Paladine]

I just have to share this thought after reading some of those posts on craigslist.....

It is one thing to have a strong opinion (gawd knows, I do!), but it's another thing to incite more hate. Hate that started this whole tragic story for Phoebe Prince and her family. People are doing the exact same thing and I find extremely disturbing. Put your energies into promoting safe school for all children, not continuing to teach them the contradiction of such.

imvho......

Hey, I'm with you on that. Let law and order take it's course...vigilantisim is stupid....imo.

 

[Paladine]

MARCH 31, 2010

School Superintendent Gus A. Sayer said Wednesday the students named in the indictments are the same as those identified as bullies in the investigation Smith conducted after Prince’s death.

“What they found seems to corroborate what we found in our school investigation by Dan Smith,” Sayer said.

http://www.buzzbox.com/top/default/...ndings_in_phoe/?id=874276&topic=Case:Bullying

April 1, 2010

Stopping short of criticizing Scheibel directly, Sayer said her findings “did not jibe’’ with the internal investigation conducted by the high school’s principal, Dan Smith, after Prince’s death.
“Based on our investigation, that wasn’t the case,’’ he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/educatio...01/schools_head_defends_response_to_bullying/

 

[jjenny]

We have a link posted that confirms Sean Mulveyhill did date Phoebe and after they broke up allegedly "he turned on her". Some liken the possible dynamics to that of the young Texas couple that killed the female rival. The other boy, Austin Renaud, I'm not sure about. Word is, no links, there were 2 boys and 2 sets of jealous girls...

IMO...I think the D.A. will focus on the fact that Phoebe was vulnerable, this wasn't a relationship of equals.
Phoebe, a freshman, a newcomer to the country. Sean, a senior, the football captain, the local, the popular ladies man...and voted class flirt, this year, btw...(link on this thread).

Beena...let me have a coffee, or two and I'll get working on some inconsistant statements.

And? Who says the relationship has to be a relationship of equals? There is a very small age difference, and 16 year old boy isn't an adult himself.
I still think the state of MA has outdated statutory rape laws. Other states allow for "Romeo and Juliet" age difference. In my opinion these teenagers are being charged basically not of what they were doing but because the girl killed herself.
So why doesn't US have "driving someone to suicide" laws?

 

[BeenaBobba]

I just have to share this thought after reading some of those posts on craigslist.....

It is one thing to have a strong opinion (gawd knows, I do!), but it's another thing to incite more hate. Hate that started this whole tragic story for Phoebe Prince and her family. People are doing the exact same thing and I find extremely disturbing. Put your energies into promoting safe school for all children, not continuing to teach them the contradiction of such.

imvho......

I totally agree. I want justice to be served, but some of those people are just as bad as the bullies. Threatening violence is wrong and is not going to solve a thing. The same can be said about name calling. I'm all for rational, polite debate between disagreeing parties, but a lot of those people have taken things way too far.

 

[Paladine]

And? Who says the relationship has to be a relationship of equals? There is a very small age difference, and 16 year old boy isn't an adult himself.
I still think the state of MA has outdated statutory rape laws. Other states allow for "Romeo and Juliet" age difference. In my opinion these teenagers are being charged basically not of what they were doing but because the girl killed herself.
So why doesn't US have "driving someone to suicide" laws?

Not me. I said I felt that's what the D.A. would do. It will be up to a jury in the end. Honestly, I'm not into debating laws. Especially when I don't live in that country. Ya'll decide...I'll post about it.
(bolded by me)

 

[jjenny]

Not me. I said I felt that's what the D.A. would do. It will be up to a jury in the end.
(bolded by me)

Well one would think in order to prove statutory rape DA just has to prove sex took place between someone under 16 and someone over 16, because that's what the law in the state is.

 

[Paladine]

Well one would think in order to prove statutory rape DA just has to prove sex took place between someone under 16 and someone over 16, because that's what the law in the state is.

I do not know. I read that law and I don't understand how they are being charged, to be honest. I'm still confused by that. Would/could anyone else break it down for me?

p.s. I edited my last post...but you were quick! lol...

 

[Paladine]

I must say, although many may disagree

In my country, I wish they would enforce the statutory rape laws more. When I was a child/teen everyone said, "Under 16? JAILBAIT! Not going near ya..."
I think it heped protect youth...yes, some Romeo and Juliets may get caught in the fray...but honestly, I'm all for it, I think it's worth it.

 

[jjenny]

I do not know. I read that law and I don't understand how they are being charged, to be honest. I'm still confused by that. Would/could anyone else break it down for me?

p.s. I edited my last post...but you were quick! lol...

Age of consent is 16. Thus having sex with someone under 16 falls under statutory rape. There are no provisions for a small age difference such as 16 year old having sex with a 15 year old. Do these teenagers know this? Considering people here see that law in front of them and can not understand what it says.

'MGL. c.265, s. 23. [Commonly known as the Statutory Rape Law]. Rape and abuse of child.

Whoever unlawfully has sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse, and abuses a child under 16 years of age, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or for any term of years or, except as otherwise provided, for any term in a jail or house of correction. A prosecution commenced under this section shall neither be continued without a finding nor placed on file."
http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/subject/about/sex.html

 

[Paladine]

Age of consent is 16. Thus having sex with someone under 16 falls under statutory rape. There are no provisions for a small age difference such as 16 year old having sex with a 15 year old.

They are charged, though. Surely, the D.A. knows how to read...so there must be more to this? We must be missing something...no?

 

[jjenny]

They are charged, though. Surely, the D.A. knows how to read...so there must be more to this? We must be missing something...no?

The girl was under 16 years of age. Someone over 16 years of age having sex with her would be statutory rape according with the law.

 

[Paladine]

A primer of sorts...

What Phoebe didn't realise was that the boy who had set his sights on her was deeply embedded in the clique of pretty, popular girls who would later become notorious as The Untouchable Mean Girls of South Hadley. And they considered the Irish freshman's daring raid on their prized alpha male a serious breach of school protocol. In the nastiest ways possible they set out to curb this new pup of her "hubris" and mobilised a coterie of bullies against her.

From being the interesting new girl, Phoebe found herself worse than persona non grata. She was stalked in the hallways. Books were knocked out of her hand and pencils were thrown at her in class. Everywhere she went she was taunted. Her mobile phone number was passed around and threatening text messages were sent to her. On various internet sites unprintable epithets were hurled at her. Behind her back down the corridor came the endless, ringing chant: "Irish ".

"On January 14 of this year it all came to a head. According to a mother of a boy who was friends with her, Phoebe had been hysterically upset during the day at the school and had seen the school medical officer. Later, as she was walking home from school, a group of girls screamed insults at her from the window of a passing car and threw a can of Red Bull at her. Phoebe kept on walking."

"It was later that afternoon that L., Phoebe's 12-year-old sister, made the terrible discovery. Phoebe had hanged herself in one of the wardrobes in the family home. The young girl was left to dial 911.

"Phoebe had been due to attend the local dance or 'Cotillion' two days after she died. Despite the fact that one of their own had died, some 500 students of South Hadley attended the dance. One girl, K. B., who would later speak on camera to reporters about her shock and upset at Phoebe's death, was pictured laughing at the Cotillion with the boy who had gone out with Phoebe. He posted the pictures on his Facebook page. Both K.B. and the boy refused to comment when contacted.

"One of the bullies responded with extreme callousness. A screensave of a Facebook post (since removed) by one of the girls alleged to have been involved reads: "It was her own fault." This same girl later joined remembrance and anti-bullying groups online."

"Meanwhile, the internet vigilantes of South Hadley were taking matters into their own hands. The addresses and phone numbers of the four girls alleged to have been involved in bullying Phoebe were posted on several web forums. What was interesting at that stage was many people who barely knew Phoebe in real life were prepared to install themselves as chief mourners. One boy who didn't know her at all set up a "remembrance page" for her. Another girl who had had written some fairly offensive stuff about Phoebe when she was alive posted all over this web page, loudly proclaiming her grief.

"Meanwhile, the wider community in the town were extremely resentful at the media attention and with one or two exceptions they shut out journalists and other outsiders inquiring about Phoebe. One father alleged that his daughter was beaten up after speaking to reporters.

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/bullied-to-death-2098808.html