Fla. Mom Considers Suing Accused Bullies’ Parents
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Rebecca Sedwick Rebecca Sedwick – Against Bullying/Facebook|ABC News(POLK COUNTY, Fla.) — The mother of Rebecca Sedwick, the Florida teen who committed suicide after allegedly being bullied online, said Thursday she is exploring all legal options and wants “justice” for her daughter’s death.
Attorneys representing the teen’s mother said they haven’t ruled out suing the local school board or the parents of two girls who await a Friday hearing that may determine where this case, which garnered international headlines, goes next.
Sedwick climbed a silo tower at an abandoned plant and jumped to her death after police say she was relentlessly taunted online. Two girls ages 12 and 14 were arrested last week and face felony aggravated stalking charges after the Polk County Sheriff’s office says both “terrorized” the teen and then showed a lack of remorse for Sedwick’s death.
One of the suspects, Guadalupe Shaw, 14, allegedly had a Facebook post which read “Yes, I bullied Rebecca and she killed herself but I don’t give a f—.”
An attorney for Shaw told ABC News they have entered a not guilty plea with the county clerk, and expect to get their first look at all the evidence in the case via “discovery,” which could come on Monday.
Jose Baez, who successfully defended Casey Anthony for the death of her young daughter, is representing the 12-year-old accused and is expected to be in court Friday.
Last week Shaw’s mother, Vivian Vosburg, 30, was arrested on unrelated charges. The publicity about the daughter’s arrest triggered tips to police about a video on Facebook showing Vosburg beating several of her children and she was charged with child abuse and child neglect.
Tricia Norman, Sedwick’s mother, and her attorneys during a press conference Thursday also appealed to the public for help paying for her funeral. They established a website to help raise money for the teen’s funeral costs and for future anti-bullying causes.
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