Tragic suicide of bullied Irish girl in Massachusetts

EveryDayDad, You sir are an A_hole. Your arguments regarding Phoebe's actions and the actions of her abusers are outrageous. You hide behind your computer spewing your garbage without the courage to post your name, address and phone number. I would love for you to do that then you will see what the harassment and bullying was like for Phoebe! You spineless jellyfish coward!

when was suicide deemed to be an * addiction* ????

EveryDayDad- Once again as with all your posts you have missed the point by a mile! In an earlier post you said you were "ashamed to be Irish."I merely pointed out that i did not want to be associated in the same category (IRISH) as someone who makes comments about this case like "get over it" and "suicide is selfish" Understand now? And what on earth do you mean "suicide, like other addictions and diseases" ? Seems fairly ridiculous to say it`s like an addiction seeing as you can only do it once!!! Also how is it like a disease, can you catch or cure it?

IrishMark - Suicide has nothing to do with being Irish. Suicide, like other addictions and diseases, is racially independent.

EveryDayDad-I was born reared and live in Ireland.But if you are an Irish Man, then I am ashamed to call myself one! R.I.P Phoebe My thoughts and prayers are with the Prince family.

The schools I am familiar with do NOT have police on site all day, and MOST schools do not, most schools in smaller towns share a liaison officer between all three schools, and do NOT have one on site all day. So you are WRONG about that. And there is NO school that will allow parents to sit all day at the school, NO WHERE it does not happen, EVER not even if you a volunteer ( which I AM). Didn't you just not state the South Hadley district did not have one either?? I have no idea if it did or not but you said ALL schools do and I KNOW for a FACT ( no pissing contest) that you are WRONG about that. You contradict yourself and You come across as arrogant, ignorant of reality and judgmental. I am shocked at your comments EveryDayDad, you have NO idea about children at all if your comments are calling her suicide a selfish act, the human condition particularly of teenagers who are unfortunately growing up in a harder to negotiate society,have NO idea of the long term consequences of their actions... And don't go bible thumping to back up your lame, weak and wrong arguments There before the grace of God go ANY one of us, we have NO idea what might be ahead of us as parents and that goes for YOU too EveryDayDad....

Shovoff - Carry the "Message" not the "Mess." Get over it. Kids tease other kids. They always have, they always will. Suicide is the most selfish act one can commit. It says so in the bible. Have a good day.

I'm not judging anyone here shuvoff. and Im not into pissing contests either. Like I said, ALL middle and high schools in our school district have cops ALL DAY on site as I stated. They interact and work with the kids and diffuse it (or make an arrest) when there is trouble. The goal of which is to deter the level of abuse (verbal and physical) that occurs. Most people who speed down the road slow down when they see a cop. Are you getting the picture here? Perhaps there's and answer there for the district Hadley school is in???

You are VERY judgmental everydaydad, campus is COLLEGE NOT high school, most high schools only have part time cops on the premises some of the week NOT all of the week. The DA may change their minds about the charges against the staff, the staff MUST have known and obviously the mother was misled by the staff since she did go there several times in order to tackle the problems. YOU are a complete IDIOT if you think that ANY school will let you stay there all day while your kid is at school, it does NOT happen!! The kids committed a MORAL crime, they bullied a girl who make a choice based upon how she felt without considering the long term ramifications of her choice as most children do NOT think of those things. The message of justifying suicide is NOT anything got to do with the bullies being taken to task for their actions and that they CANNOT and SHOULD not bully as people are REAL and feelings are real, the bullies are real brave when they have back up but NONE of them EVIL jerks are brave enough to even go to court...It is not just our job to protect our kids, we should make sure they are NOT bullying others, as well as make sure that they understand their words and deeds have consequences, that is what counts here, you are typical of a parent who thinks their child is perfect and cannot see they may be at fault over this poor child's choice...

IN MY STATE, ALL JMIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE A COP ON CAMPUS ALL DAY TO DETER AND ARREST REAL VIOLENCE. (THEY HAVE THEIR OWN OFFICE AND ARE WEAPONED AND UNIFORMED). FIGHTS AND TEASING CONTINUE JUST LIKE IT WAS IN THE 60'S AND 70'S WHEN I WAS K-12. THIS WORLD, THE ADULTS WHO RUN IT, THE WEB AND MEDIA ARE BROADCASTING "JUSTIFIABLE" VIOLENCE EVERYWHERE. LETS NOT "JUSTIFY" SUICIDE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. WE NEED OUR KIDS TO LIVE. OBVIOUSLY, NONE OF THE KIDS COMMITTED A "REAL CRIME" PRIOR TO PHOEBE TAKING HER LIFE OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED. I PROMISE THE STAFF AT HADLEY/ANY SCHOOL WOULD HAVE MADE SURE OF THIS (OBVIOUS BY THE DA'S DECISION NOT TO PERSUE CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST THE STAFF). NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYONE WANTS TO CONVICT THESE SUPPOSED "BULLY'S" FOR PHOEBE TAKING HER OWN LIFE. WRONG MESSAGE PEOPLE. IM HAPPY THESE UNFORTUNATES WILL GO TO COURT BUT HARDLY SEE A CONVICTION FORTHCOMING AND IF IT DOES, ALL THE BETTER. AS A PARENT, ITS OUR JOB FIRST AND FOREMOST TO PROTECT OUR KIDS. BE IN THEIR DAILY LIFES. VISIT THEIR SCHOOLS, SIT THROUGH A DAY OF SCHOOL. ITS YOUR RIGHT. IF YOU SEE YOUR KID DEPRESSED TALK WITH THEM. SEEK HELP. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY. LETS NOT LOSE ANOTHER KID OR JUSTIFY SUICIDE WHICH IS THE MESSAGE ALL OF THIS IS GIVING. YOU OWE IT TO YOUR KIDS. WE WORK TO HARD TO RAISE THEM TO SET THEM FREE IN THIS WORLD OF HATE AND VIOLENCE.

IN RESPONSE TO MICHEAL COLLINS - When it comes to protecting/HELPING my kids IN EXTREME CONDITIONS, AS A PARENT I AM IT. PERIOD. IF I HAVE TO SIT IN SCHOOL WITH MY KIDS, I DO IT. I PULLED MY KIDS OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY JOINED A MOTOCROSS RACE TEAM. NOT FOR DISCPLINE, NOT BECAUSE THE SCHOOL HAD PROBLEMS. THEY ARE BACK IN PUBLIC SCHOOL AND YES ITS A HARSH ENVIRONMENT BUT LOOK AT THE WORLD WE ADULTS HAVE CREATED. MURDER, CORRUPTION, and sensless WARS EVERYWHERE. VIOLENCE AND SEX ON TV EVERYWHERE. I LIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY I NEVER HEARD OF PHOEBE BEFORE. EVERY SUICIDE IS A MAJOR TRAGEDY. WHAT SUICIDE DOESNT HAVE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS? WHAT IM HEARING FROM MOST HERE IS DELIVERING A DANGEROUS MESSAGE TO KIDS EVERYWHERE, "THAT SUICIDE IS JUSTIFIABLE UNDER SOME CONDITIONS." I REFUSE TO ACCEPT AND WILL ARGUE THAT TO THE END WITH MY OWN KIDS. LETS KEEP IT REAL AND KEEP OUR KIDS ALIVE PEOPLE. DONT JUSTIFY SUICIDE IN ANY WAY. SEEK HELP, CHANGE THEIR ENVIRONMENTS. WE WILL JUST LOSE MORE KIDS TO SUICIDE. KNOW YOUR KIDS ENVIRONMENT (GO TO SCHOOL ONCE IN A WHILE - ITS YOUR RIGHT) IF ITS NOT HEALTHY FOR THEM - MAKE A A CHANGE!!!. LIFE IS NOT A JOHN MAYER SONG, QUIT "WAITING ON THE WORLD TO CHANGE." IT'S GETTING WORSE. ITS AMAZING HOW A BULLY'S ATTITUDE CHANGES WHEN THEY SEE A PARENT WITH THEIR CHILD AT SCHOOL. TRY IT ONCE AND SEE. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE. I DO HOPE THESE BULLYS GET IN TROUBLE AND DELIVER A STRONG MESSAGE THAT BULLYING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE THE ADULTS HAVE CREATED A CRUEL WORLD WITH SENSLESS KILLING AND WARS. WATCH TV, NOTHING BUT SEX AND VIOLENCE - EVEN THE CARTOONS. PARENTS NEED TO HAVE LESS FEAR AND LESS FAITH AND NOT BE AFRAID TO TAKE ACTION AND GET INVOLVED. GO TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR KID ONCE IN A WHILE. LET THE BULLYS KNOW YOUR KIDS HAS A SOLID LOVING PARENT BEHIND THEM. I JUST HOPE MY KIDS NEVER TAKE THEIR LIFE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. SUICIDE IS A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO A TEMPORARY PROBLEM.

everydaydad....I'm pretty sure that if that was your daughter, you would be singing a totally different song...

In response to Everydaydad, if the administration and teachers had have been doing their jobs, this would have been avoided. To turn this around and blame the mother is beyond comprehension. Are you a friend of one of the accused? Furthermore, bullying doesn't mean physical force being applied. Verbal abuse is as bad as being physically abused. "These kids accused should be let off"? Where is the logic in that? So they are not to be held responsible? Talk about lecturing on bad choices. You have made several here. Im ashamed to be Irish?????? Sorry I don't follow the logic here either. By the way having been born and raised in Belfast before immigrating, I've had some experience with bullies and their words hurt just as much as their fists, boots and rifle butts.

And with all the hate being spilled here, Im ashamed to be Irish!!!

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Phoebe's Mom was aware of the harassment and that it was growing. Why would you continue to take your child to such an environment. They had choices. They could have home-schooled, changed schools, the choices are limitless. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change (other kids bullying), the power to change the things I can (home or other school) and the wisdom to know the difference (well, they missed this one all together and now it's too late). A sad sad tragedy. Phoebe made a bad choice that cost her her life. If Phoebe had more support and action-based involvement from her parents her death may have avoided. Teasing and getting teased or "Bullied" which to me involved physical force is a part of growing up just like losing a job, a wife or other significant loss. These kids accused should be let off. They will not forget that society is pointing the finger at them. This could lead to more suicides if it continues. Nothing's going to bring Phoebe back and she did kill herself alone. Bad choice Phoebe. If anything, I think her parents should be charged with child endangerment resulting in death for continuing to force Phoebe to go to that school. School is not daycare people, its a learning environment. If your kids not in an environment they can learn in, change it! Don't use public schools as your baby sitter so you can sit home on the couch or make what (money???) and blame everyone else. Lessons learned everywhere on this one. Alot of good those do Phoebe now. Rest in Peace.