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-Lurid Crime Tales-
Mo. family shunned over hoax, suicide
2007-12-07
Crystal Drive is one of those suburban streets that seem so new as to have no history at all. But the suicide of a teenage girl — and allegations she had been tormented by a neighbor over the Internet — have brought a reaction that is old, almost tribal, in its nature.

Residents of the middle-class subdivision have turned against the neighbor, Lori Drew, and her family, demanding the Drews move out. In interviews, they have warned darkly that someone might be tempted to "take matters into their own hands."

"It's like they used to do in the 1700s and 1800s. If you wronged a community, you were basically shunned. That's basically what happened to her," said Trever Buckles, a 40-year-old who lives next door to the Drews.
Posted by:gorb

#9  This crazy drama is playing out a few miles away, and, just as Broadhead6 implied, since the law won't do anything, the people are stepping up.

While we don't usually think of it this way, the rule of law protects not just the innocent from the state, but the guilty from their outraged neighbors. These perps fell through cracks in the law and so are getting street justice instead.
Posted by: rammer   2007-12-07 23:29  

#8  The author of this piece needs to look up the definitions of shunning and harassing. It doesn't appear that the community is deliberately staying away from Drews.
Posted by: GK   2007-12-07 22:56  

#7  This was on one of the many talk shows - the mom actually invented the "josh" character and was emailing the the other girl. Apparently the Drew girl and Megan Meier had been friends and then had a falling out. Then Mrs. Drew got involved and along w/her daughter led Megan to believe "josh" was very interested in her - this went on a couple months and then "josh" told Megan he heard she was a slut or very fat or some such and broke off their cyber courting. I guess the Meier girl had a history of depression or some such. The Drews have not been charged w/anything as there is nothing under the state of MO. statute entailing these types of situations - so the police can't do anything - hence, the community is apparently going after them in their own way.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2007-12-07 20:18  

#6  Maybe not. I had a phone that the "password" was all of two whole digits in length . . . .
Posted by: gorb   2007-12-07 15:10  

#5  Someone recently obtained the password to change the Drews' outgoing cell phone recording, and replaced it with a disturbing message.

"Someone", eh? It's kinda gotta be "someone" who already knew the password.
Posted by: Angie Schultz   2007-12-07 14:34  

#4  "there was a heated online exchange between Megan and Ashley, who was posing as Josh"

It sounds like the daughter and "Ashley" were the ones doing the deed. That doesn't excuse the mother but it sounds like she is getting all the blame for the actions of others.. The mother "enabled" but did not execute action.

These girls are an example of why the Indians gave prisoners to the women for torture.
Posted by: Throger Thains8048   2007-12-07 13:59  

#3  Cry me a river.
wonder if their Christmas lights will develop a 'short.' Fires happen that way.
Posted by: USN,Ret.   2007-12-07 13:47  

#2  Sometimes, ruining your own life is the appropriate punishment. This looks like one of those times...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2007-12-07 13:01  

#1  "I just really hope that no one comes out here and does something insane," Buckles said. "If they do, I hope they get the right house."

Ouch!
Posted by: Mike   2007-12-07 08:23  

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