MySpace Hoax Ends in Suicide

After a jilted MySpace based romance, thirteen year old Megan Meier decided to take the ultimate plunge and hung herself in her family's Missouri home on October the Sixteenth, 2006 - a year before her mourning family went public with the tragedy.

Megan Meier had been described as a "silly, goofy and bubbly girl" by her mother, despite her ongoing problems with depression, weight and attention deficit disorder.

However, this happy personality quickly shifted within weeks after Megan joined the millions of people connected to the growing online community of MySpace.

The Meiers, who had warned Megan of online predators and pedophiles, kept a close eye on Megan's computer use, and were more than cautious when a unfamiliar profile turned up on Megan's friend list.

"Josh Evans" was the new yet unheard of kid in town, and he quickly charmed his way into Megan's heart.

"Oh, they talked constantly. It was as though they had been friends forever" Megan's Mother has been quoted during a conference. "It was as though he was actually the person he pretended to be"

Alas - "Josh Evans" wasn't the handsome, too good to be true, sixteen year old new kid that had stole Megan's heart - far from it, actually. "Josh" was actually a woman only houses down from the Meier's, the mother of one of Megan's old friends.

Turns out she created Josh in curiosity. Her daughter and Megan reportedly had a falling out, and in a desperate attempt to really find out what her daughter was doing behind her back - lured Megan into telling her everything with charm.

However, the charm didn't last long.

It wasn't even a mere two weeks before Megan began receiving harsh emails containing graphic images and vulgar language. "I was appalled" Megan's mother told NBC, "Completely appalled"

MySpace bulletins trashing Megan began appearing more and more frequently - and each one hurt Megan horribly.

Finally, Megan opted to end it all by committing suicide. Her shocked mother was the one who found her lifeless body hanging from various clothing articles in her closet.

The family held responsible for both Megan's suicide and "Josh Evan's" behavior, has not yet apologized.