Nine Teens Charged in Girl's Suicide
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:38 pmNORTHAMPTON, Mass. (CBS/AP) Nine teenagers face charges for allegedly hounding and harassing 15-year-old Irish immigrant Phoebe Prince, bullying her to the point where she hanged herself to end her misery.
Out of the nine teens, two boys are charged with statutory rape and they and a clique of girls are facing charges including stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights.
School officials are not charged even though authorities say they knew the girl was being bullied and they didn't stop the harassment even after Prince's mother came to two of them with her concerns.
Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said the events before the teen's death on Jan. 14 were "the culmination of a nearly three-month campaign of verbally assaultive behavior and threats of physical harm" widely known among the student body.
The 15-year-old was insulted and threatened almost from her first day at South Hadley High School, bullying her in the halls, library and through text messages. Prince was harassed for having a short relationship with a popular boy in school.
On the day she hung herself, Prince was pelted with a beverage container and cursed at as she walked home from school.
Scheibel said the harassment began in September, occurring primarily in school and in person, although some of it surfaced on Facebook and in other electronic forms. At least four students and two faculty members intervened to try to stop it or report it to administrators, she said.
Prince's family has since moved away from the area.
Some students accused of participating in the bullying have been disciplined by the school and will not be returning to classes.
Out of the nine teens, two boys are charged with statutory rape and they and a clique of girls are facing charges including stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights.
School officials are not charged even though authorities say they knew the girl was being bullied and they didn't stop the harassment even after Prince's mother came to two of them with her concerns.
Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said the events before the teen's death on Jan. 14 were "the culmination of a nearly three-month campaign of verbally assaultive behavior and threats of physical harm" widely known among the student body.
The 15-year-old was insulted and threatened almost from her first day at South Hadley High School, bullying her in the halls, library and through text messages. Prince was harassed for having a short relationship with a popular boy in school.
On the day she hung herself, Prince was pelted with a beverage container and cursed at as she walked home from school.
Scheibel said the harassment began in September, occurring primarily in school and in person, although some of it surfaced on Facebook and in other electronic forms. At least four students and two faculty members intervened to try to stop it or report it to administrators, she said.
Prince's family has since moved away from the area.
Some students accused of participating in the bullying have been disciplined by the school and will not be returning to classes.
