by KYW's Bob Bicknell

A Missouri woman is facing a federal conspiracy and other charges after being indicted in a cyber bullying case.

It’s a story that tore a suburban St. Louis family apart and opened the eyes of a nation to the influence of the internet on teenagers.

Authorities say Lori Drew used a MySpace page to pose as a 16-year old boy to befriend 13-year old Megan Meier, a former friend of Drew’s daughter. Police say after this fabricated online friend rejected her, Meier hanged herself.

The federal indictment charges Drew with one count of conspiracy and three counts of using computers without authorization to obtain information to inflict emotional distress. Meier’s parents have been asking for prosecution since their daughter’s death in 2006.

They’ve since separated. Drew denies she created the MySpace account or sent messages to the girl. Each count in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.



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