FL Cyberbullying Suicide Case Update – 2 Middle School Girls Arrested

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For immediate release, October 16, 2013

Last month, a Florida teenager committed suicide after being bullied for over a year. What began as physical bullying spilled over onto the internet. Despite moving and transferring to another school district, the cyberbullying continued and ultimately led to the girl’s suicide.

On Monday, Polk County law enforcement made 2 arrests in the case. Two teens, a 14 year old and a 12 year old, were arrested earlier this week and charged with felony aggravated stalking, a third degree felony. In Florida, third degree felonies are punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

The arrests come after one of the girls allegedly posted a comment in response to the victim’s suicide, indicating that she knew about the suicide, bullied the girl, and did not care.

According to a press release by the Polk County Sheriff’s office, the 14 year old girl acted as the ring leader, bullying anyone who was friends with the victim. The other girl who was arrested had been best friends with the victim before she began bullying.

Related: Florida Teen Commits Suicide After Being Bullied Online and at School

Why Teens Commit Bullying

Groupthink is a powerful psychological phenomenon. Groupthink occurs within a group of people, in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an incorrect or deviant decision-making outcome. Teenagers are particularly susceptible to groupthink because of the growing pains of the teenage years coupled with the strong need for association, i.e., belonging to a group. Therefore, in bullying and cyberbullying cases, children or teens who are looking for acceptance will go so far as to engage in criminal behavior to stay in the good graces of the group.

What these teens often do not realize is that when it comes time to go to college or get a job, their names may be associated with bullying. All it takes is one internet news article, and a bully may be denied entry into college or otherwise be denied a job. No matter the outcome of the criminal case, these two girls who were arrested will forever have their names associated with bullying which resulted in a young girl’s suicide.

Related bullying and cyberbullying articles:

Pennsylvania & New Jersey Bullying Lawyers, FREE CONSULTATIONS – 800-220-7600

If your child was the victim of bullying or cyberbullying and you would like to discuss a potential civil case, please call 800-220-7600 and ask to speak to Brian Kent. Mr. Kent is a former prosecutor who now brings civil claims on behalf of victims of crime, including victims of bullying and cyberbullying.

Our attorneys serve bullying victims in the following areas: Atlantic County, NJ; Burlington County, NJ; Camden County, NJ; Cumberland County, NJ; Gloucester County, NJ; Salem County, NJ; Allegheny County, PA; Berks County, PA; Bucks County, PA; Chester County, PA; Delaware County, PA; Lehigh County, PA; Montgomery County, PA; Northampton County, PA: Philadelphia County, PA; New Castle County, DE; Kent County, DE; Atlantic City, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Newark, NJ; Doylestown, PA; Media, PA; West Chester, PA; Norristown, PA; Camden, NJ; Wilmington, DE; Newark, DE; Georgetown, DE; and New Castle, DE. Our lawyers can also obtain special admission in other states such as New York or Delaware on a case by case basis.

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