CyberbullyingOn October 16, 2006, a mother discovered her daughter hanging in a closet. The victim was Megan Meier, 13 years old. (ABC NEWS) Months before her death, Megan had shown signs of depression. Megan had low self-esteem, but was happy to receive a friend request from a 16-year-old boy on MySpace. He began talking to the boy, who claimed to be homeschooled. Soon, the compliments turned into cyberbullying as Megan was called "fat" and "slut." (ABC NEWS) Weeks after Megan's death, the family discovered that the boy Megan had been talking to was actually a neighborhood mother who had created the page to intimidate Megan. The mother has not been charged with any crime and the Meiers are still seeking justice in this case. (ABC NEWS) They founded the Megan Meier Foundation. The foundation's mission is to help raise awareness about bullying and cyberbullying in children's everyday environments.2Rebecca Sedwick was 12 years old when she jumped to her death after being a victim of cyberbullying. According to CNN, Sedwick was stalked and bullied by two girls at her school. The two girls involved were charged with aggravated stalking, but the charges were dropped in 2013. Sedwick had been bullied for months before she attempted suicide for a second time and died. Statistics: In the past year, 16% of high school students have been victims of electronic bullying. However, cyberbullying is not just an epidemic among older teenagers. (StopBullying) 6% of students in grades 6-12 have also experienced cyberbullying. (StopBullying) Cyberbullying is transforming the “playground” bully into something much more dangerous. Children have no way to escape these bullies and sometimes take drastic measures to free themselves... middle of paper... same pain. Just as you would like to be informed about bullying during school hours, the school also needs to know about the situation. Let the school know what is happening, so they can avoid an unfavorable environment for your child. Conclusion: Cyberbullying is an epidemic that affects children of all age groups. It is important to recognize the warning signs of cyberbullying to prevent devastating repercussions. It is also important to know how to deal with cyberbullying when it occurs. Children are sometimes sensitive and a few mean words can damage their self-esteem, leading them to self-harm and worse. Notes: 1 For a list of the effects of "personal bullying", see www.stopbullying. gov.2To visit the Megan Meier Foundation website, see http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org.3 For a list of all bullying laws, see www.cyberbullying.us.