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Amanda Todd
Born	Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Died	October 10, 2012 (aged 15)
Cause of death	Suspected suicide
Nationality	Canadian
Education	High School
Occupation	Student
Website	YouTube Channel

External images
Image from the Calgary Herald
Multiple images

Amanda Todd was a Canadian teenager whose death was a suspected suicide attributed to cyber-bullying through the social networking website Facebook. On 7 September 2012, Todd posted a video on YouTube in which she used a series of flash cards to tell of her experience of being bullied. On 12 October 2012, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police launched an investigation into Todd's death.

Christy Clark, a B.C premier, made an online statement of condolence suggesting a national discussion be made discussing criminalizing cyber-bullying.

Todd was a student at CABE Secondary in Coquitlam

YouTube message

The following is a summary of statements made in the YouTube video by Todd:

While in seventh grade, Todd joined friends via webcams to meet and talk with new people. She was complimented, being complimented with such terms as "stunning", "beautiful", and "perfect".

Someone wanted her to show her breasts, and she complied. A year later, an anonymous user left a message on her Facebook page. The user knew her address, school, relatives, friends, family name, and blackmailed her. He demanded a "show" or would "send ur boobs".

During Christmas break, at 4 am, the police arrived at her door, possibly to inform her that photos of her breasts were circulating on the Internet. She became sick, starting to experience anxiety, major depression and panic disorder.

After moving to a different home, she began to take drugs and alcohol. Her anxiety worsened, and she couldn't go out of the house.

A year later, the person who had blackmailed her re-entered her life, posting a list of her friends and school. He used an image of her breasts as his profile picture. This caused her to cry every night, and she lost all her friends and respect.

Subsequently, she was ostracized by her peers, involving name-calling. She began self-mutilation by cutting herself. Each day at school, she ate alone. She changed schools again.

A month later, her situation had improved, despite still eating alone in the school library.

A month after that, she began communicating with an "old guy friend". They exchanged text messages. He told her that he liked her. She knew he had a girlfriend. He invited her to his home while his girlfriend was on vacation. They engaged in some form of sex.

After a week, she received a text message warning her to get out of school. The girlfriend and the "old guy friend" with fifteen others came to find her. During the confrontation, the girlfriend stated " look around nobody likes you", in the presence of approximately 50 other students. One of the students yelled out for the girl to punch Todd. The girlfriend then threw Todd to the ground and struck her several times while students filmed it.

Teachers ran to her aid, but she remained in the "ditch", where her father eventually recovered her. After arriving at home, she drank bleach, and was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment.

Upon returning home, she discovered that the incident was reported on Facebook, with such remarks as "she deserved it", "did you wash the mud out of your hair?", and "I hope shes dead."

Todd then moved again to live in another city with her mother. Six months after the incident, people were still posting images of bleach, Clorox, and ditches, and tagging her with such comments as "She should try a different bleach", "I hope she dies this time and isn't so stupid.", and "They said I hope she sees this and kills herself".

She began constantly cutting herself, began taking anti-depressants, and was receiving counselling. Around that time, she had overdosed, and spent two days in hospital.

Investigation

Both the RCMP and BC Coroners office have launched an investigation. The Coquitlam and Ridge Meadows' serious crime teams are cooperating in a full investigation, conducting interviews and examining possible potential factors that may have contributed to her death.

Investigators are reviewing content at social media sites, and are actively monitoring pages.

See also

• Cyberstalking legislation
• Harassment by computer
• Suicide of Tyler Clementi
• Suicide of Ryan Halligan
• Cyberbully

References

1. Posted: October 12, 2012 8:21 PM. "Amanda Todd's friends mourn teen online - Your Community". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2012-10-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
2. Grenoble, Ryan. "Amanda Todd: Bullied Canadian Teen Commits Suicide After Prolonged Battle Online And In School". Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
3. "Amanda Todd's suicide to be investigated by RCMP | Canada | News | National Post". News.nationalpost.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
4. Shaw, Gillian. "Port Coquitlam teen driven to death by cyberbullying (with video)". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
5. Crawford, Tiffany. "Death of bullied teen Amanda Todd being investigated by RCMP". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
6. "RCMP launch investigation into death of bullied B.C. teen". CTV News. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
7. "After Amanda Todd's death, Christy Clark says new laws may be needed to combat bullying". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
8. Luymes, Glenda (2002-03-25). "Cyberbullying: Outpouring of grief over teen's suicide (with video)". Theprovince.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
9. "Transcript". Pastebin.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
10. Keneally, Meghan. "Tragedy as girl, 15, kills herself just one month after posting desperate YouTube plea begging bullies to stop tormenting her". Daily Mail. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
11. ^ "Global BC | RCMP launch full investigation into Amanda Todd's death". Globaltvbc.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.

External links

• Transcript of Youtube video

• Recent deaths
• 2012 deaths
• Abuse
• Deaths by person
• Female suicides
• Victims of cyber-bullying