#StillShiningOn Suicide of Megan Meier

Megan Taylor Meier was born on November 6, 1992, to Christina "Tina" Meier and Ronald Meier in O'Fallon, Missouri. During Megan's childhood she lived in the nearby Dardenne Prairie. She had a younger sister named Allison.

From the third grade, after she had told her mother she had wanted to kill herself, Megan had been under the care of a psychiatrist. She had been prescribed citalopram (an antidepressant that has a possible side effect of increasing suicide risk in young people), methylphenidate, and the atypical antipsychotic ziprasidone. She had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and depression, and had self-esteem issues regarding her weight. She was described by her parents as a "bubbly, goofy" girl who enjoyed spending time with her friends and family.

Meier attended Fort Zumwalt public schools, including Pheasant Point Elementary School and Fort Zumwalt West Middle School in nearby O'Fallon, Missouri. For eighth grade, her parents enrolled her at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Dardenne Prairie. They thought that its policy requiring uniforms and prohibiting makeup and jewelry might help Megan fit in.

Soon after opening an account on Myspace, Meier received a message supposedly from a 16-year-old boy, Josh Evans. Meier and "Josh" became online friends, but never met in person or spoke. Meier thought "Josh" was attractive. As Meier began to exchange messages with this person, her family said she seemed to have had her "spirits lifted". This person claimed to have moved to the nearby city of O'Fallon, was homeschooled and did not yet have a phone number.

A 16-year-old male named "Josh Evans" was registered on the account used for bullying messages to Meier. But Lori Drew, the mother of Sarah Drew, a former friend of Meier, later admitted creating the Myspace account. At the time of the suicide, the Drew and Meier families were neighbors, living four doors apart.

Lori Drew was aided by Sarah and by Ashley Grills, an 18-year-old employee of Lori. Lori and several others ran the hoaxed account. Witnesses testified that the women intended to use Meier's messages sent to "Josh" to get information about her and later humiliate her, in retribution for her allegedly spreading gossip about Drew's daughter.

On October 16, 2006, the tone of the messages changed. "Josh" stated in a message sent to Megan: "I don't know if I want to be friends with you anymore because I've heard that you are not very nice to your friends". More messages of this type were sent, some of Megan's messages were shared with others, and bulletins were posted about her. According to Ronald Meier and a neighbor who had discussed the hoax with Drew, the last message sent by "Josh" read: "Everybody in O'Fallon knows who you are. You are a bad person and everybody hates you. Have a shitty rest of your life. The world would be a better place without you".

Meier responded saying, "You're the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over". The last few exchanges were made via AOL Instant Messenger instead of Myspace. Meier was found 20 minutes later in her bedroom closet; she had hanged herself with a belt. Despite attempts to revive her, Megan Taylor Meier was pronounced dead the next day on October 17.

For more on Megan's story, CLICK HERE.

#Sightseeing