Unbelievable: MySpace Hoax Leads to Suicide

MSNBC is reporting on a Missouri woman charged with creating a phony MySpace account and harassing her 13-year old neighbor to the point she committed suicide.

Lori Drew of suburban St. Louis allegedly helped create a false-identity MySpace account to contact Megan Meier, who thought she was chatting with a 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans. Josh didn't exist.

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

The Internet is the wild west for teenagers. What is most frightening is the easy access warped adults have to kids who are still trying to find their way in this world. How can parents teach their kids to respect the inherent dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the Internet while still giving them access to one of the greatest information tools in 500 years? That is not a question that can go unanswered. Part of training and teaching our children for adult life must include a healthy dose of suspicion when encountering people on the Internet. Parents must communicate often with their kids about the dangers of the Internet. Be careful. Don't give out personal information...ever.

This case will be interesting to watch from an ethical and legal perspective. Read the complete story here.