Amanda Todd, 15, Commits Suicide After Being the Repeated Victim of Cyberbullying

When Amanda Todd was just 12, she had already experienced her first cyberbullying attack. According to reports, she was just having fun with friends online, when she made a terrible choice.

At the time, she didn't think it would come back to haunt her. She, as so many teens do today, made a bad choice. She flashed a webcam by lifting her shirt.

In the years to come, no matter where she lived or how many times she changed schools, her cyber-stalker followed and made sure her secret was made known.

On Oct. 10, Amanda Todd committed suicide. This November, she would have been 16.

Before she died, Todd made a plea via a YouTube video to stop cyber-bullying. She hoped her story would help others understand the severity. Her mother hopes to continue teaching others of her story, so that other parents can understand and hopefully prevent the loss of another child's life.

What can parents of Montgomery County teens to do prevent such a senseless loss? Many commuinty programs are there to help.

Parents can click here to download a video on Cyberbullying provided by the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. The video was shown to area teens in 2010 during a presentation called "Sticks and Stones:Cyberbullying."

The Center for Parenting Education in Abington offers a number of outlets for area parents, as well, includnig a Cyber TipLine. There teens or parents may report negative online behavior by calling 800-843-5678.

Eyes on Bullying is a website dedicated to educating parents on bullying behaviors and offers tips on what to do if bullying is suspected. The site lists ways that work best to talk to your child about bullying. 

For the full story on Amanda Todd, click here. You can view her YouTube video above this story.