Phoebe Prince Update: Nine Teens Charged in Girl's Suicide
NORTHAMPTON, 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.
The teens who face criminal charges under the indictments announced Monday are:
Sean Mulveyhill, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with statutory rape, violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.
Kayla Narey, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.
Austin Renaud, 18, of Springfield. Charged with statutory rape.
Ashley Longe, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury.
Sharon Chanon Velazquez, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury.
Flannery Mullins, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury.
Three 16-year-old South Hadley girls, whose names were not released, face delinquency charges that include the civil rights offense, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.
MORE ON CRIMESIDER
February 5, 2010 - Phoebe Prince "Suicide by Bullying": Teen's Death Angers Town Asking Why Bullies Roam the Halls
January 27, 2010 - 15-Year-Old Girl's Suicide May Have Been the Result of Cyberbullying