Rebecca Sedwick Suicide: Charges Dropped Against Accused Bullies
Prosecutors have dropped all charges against two teens associated with the suicide of 12-year-old Rebecca Sedwick. The young girl committed suicide after allegedly being bullied for several years, and police quickly arrested those accused of bullying and stalking the pre-teen.
"Our goal was to create an intervention," Sheriff Grady Judd told the Sun-Sentinel. "Our goal was to bring this conduct to the proper authorities in the proper manner to make sure it was dealt with."
However, Jose Baez, an attorney for the younger girl accused of bullying, said that Grady "should get a lawyer and a darn good one, 'cause he's going to need it. The State Attorney's Office dropped this case because there is zero evidence of stalking in this case. These are children. They sometimes make mistakes. But it never, ever ever rose to the level of bullying."
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The two girls accused of bullying have been suspended from school for one year, and their parents are reportedly worried how that will impact their academic future. Sheriff Judd, however, is more concerned that at least one of the girls, the older, Guadalupe Shaw, 14, may continue to bully others.
"We decided that we can't leave her out there," Judd said of her arrest. "Who else is she going to torment, who else is she going to harass?"
Shaw was the one who allegedly posted a comment about Sedwick's death that led police to intervene.
"Yes IK [I know] I bullied REBECCA nd [sic] she killed her self but IDGAF [I don't give a (expletive)]," the teen reportedly posted.
Her parents maintain that there was no way their daughter could have posted the message, given that she was with them and had no access to a computer at the time.
The younger girl, who is 12, has issued a public apology to Sedwick's family, and both of the girls are receiving counseling.
