Cyberbullied Teen Kills Herself In Front Of Family
TEXAS CITY, Texas (AP) — Family members of a Houston-area high school student who killed herself are rallying for tighter laws against cyberbullying.
Brandy Vela's family says cyberbullying pushed the 18-year-old over the edge, leading her to shoot herself in the chest Tuesday afternoon at the family's Texas City home as family members watched.
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Her father, Raul Vela, said Brandy had been receiving abusive text messages for months from bullies using an untraceable smartphone application. Her father said someone made a fake Facebook page of her, creating another cyberbullying medium.
Vela said the family reported the bullying to the Texas City school district and several law enforcement agencies.
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The father told a local television station that he hopes for stricter laws against cyberbullying and greater awareness of the problem.
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