Woman Indicted in Missouri MySpace Suicide Case

LOS ANGELES — A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Missouri woman for her alleged role in perpetrating a hoax on the online social network MySpace against a 13-year-old neighbor girl who then committed suicide.

Lori Drew of suburban St. Louis was charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization to obtain information to inflict emotional distress on the girl.

Drew allegedly helped create a MySpace account on false premises to contact Megan Meier, who thought she was chatting with a 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans, who turned out not to exist.

Megan hanged herself at home in October 2006 after receiving cruel messages, including one stating the world would be better off without her.

Drew has denied creating the account or sending messages to Megan.

MySpace is based in Beverly Hills. The indictment noted that MySpace computer servers are located in Los Angeles County.

Due to juvenile privacy rules, the U.S. attorney’s office said, the indictment refers to the girl as M.T.M.

Each count in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Published by cypheroftyr

Tanya DePass is the founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games, a non-profit organization based in Chicago, which is dedicated to better diversification of all aspects of gaming. I Need Diverse Games serves the community by supporting marginalized developers attend the Game Developer Conference by participating in the GDC Scholarship program, helps assist attendance at other industry events, and is seeking partnership with organizations and initiatives. Tanya is a lifelong Chicagoan who loves everything about gaming, #INeedDiverseGames spawn point, and wants to make it better and more inclusive for everyone. She founded and was the EIC of Fresh Out of Tokens podcast where games culture was discussed and viewed through a lense of feminism, intersectionality and diversity. Now she’s a co-host on Spawn on Me Podcast. Along with all of that, she’s the Programming Coordinator for OrcaCon, she often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics at multiple conventions throughout the year. Her writing about games and games critique appears in Uncanny Magazine, Polygon, Wiscon Chronicles, Vice Gaming, Paste Games, Mic, and other publications.

2 thoughts on “Woman Indicted in Missouri MySpace Suicide Case – Take that Lori Drew!”

  1. Bryan, you missed the point entirely. This ADULT who should have known better recruited people to harass and torture this poor girl. This is NOT THE SAME as someone who is being legitimately picked on by her peers in school.

    She knew the girl had issues and had been treated for depression previously. This Drew woman is a sick, vindictive bitch who used her knowledge and attacked Megan Meiers with the help of the girls so called peers to keep her hands clean. I’m glad she’s getting jail time, I was hoping for much worse.

    And for the love of god, learn how to spell.

  2. Young teen females seem to have a real low self asteam as it is. I think young girls need the extra attention about their apperence by peers in a postive manner. im a 28 yr old male, with young teen female cousins and i look at her myspace and comments posted. and she crying cause this girl she dont know and never met called her ugly now it becomes a “serious matter” now the words of a teen comes out all my friends will jump her. parents its not all in the internet sites they use its also in your back yard,at school,under your nose. its sad to hear what happen, dont know her but beautiful girl and teared up as i read the story. someone trying to say ugly things.If you dont have anything nice to say we have a great constitutional right u can take full advantage of THE RIGHT TO SHUT UP!!! AND DADS PLEASEEEE KEEP YOUR LIL GIRLS AWAY FROM BOYS. TO ALL YOU TEEN GIRLS OUT THERE DONT LISTEN TO CRAP PEAPLE SAY YOU ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU JUST ASK YOUR MOMMA !!

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