Bullies mimicked Phoebe Prince hanging says Dr. Phil

Posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 11:50 PM

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TV psychologist Dr Phil McGraw has revealed that students "mimicked the hanging" of Irish schoolgirl Phoebe Prince at the high school dance in South Hadley, Massachusetts that was held only two days after her death.

The revelation is another shocking detail in a case that has seen six high school students charged with helping cause her suicide and school authorities coming under nationwide scrutiny for how they reacted to it.

Appearing on the Anderson Cooper Show on CNN, Dr Phil stated that bullying expert Barbara Coloroso had confirmed the incident which occured at the winter cotillion dance which had gone ahead despite the fact that Phoebe had been found dead just days earlier.

Dr. Phil questioned why the school authorities allowed the dance to go ahead and stated that the school authorities behaved very badly during the whole bullying episode that led to her death. "They didn't tell the truth about what they knew." he stated.

Dr.Phil was referring to an interview he did with family spokesman Darby O'Brien who stated categorically that a teacher had seen Phoebe being bullied in a hallway two weeks before she hung herself.

She was left crying by two girls and the teacher had reported the episode to the school authorities but they had done nothing.

He also stated that it was "astounding how vicious and brutal" the bullying of Phoebe Prince had been and that there were many in authority who knew about it .

He said emotional and verbal abuse was often far more hurtful to young girls than actual physical abuse . "It can do much more damage" he stated.

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maureenbrill | Apr 24, 2011, 04:55 PM EDT

I already knew Dr. Phil brought this up in his show. But that was an ABYSMAL thing to happen! It wasn't those six kids. It was the Principal, the Administrators, the families of the bullies. They are all to blame. It's just like the song written by Bob Dylan, "Who Killed Davey Moore?" The people around the late prizefighter were accused, and they all denied it. It's the same thing here.

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gregwb57 | Apr 27, 2010, 08:45 AM EDT

It just goes to show how heartless they were towards her!

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Searlit | Apr 12, 2010, 10:15 AM EDT

These actions by the nine students combined with the inactions of the school officials led to the death of a lovely young girl. Then to mock her death at a shool dance two days later. It's OUTRAGEOUS, and I can't even imagine the pain the Prince family have suffered. I am deeply saddened by all of this.

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Lillyobrien | Apr 12, 2010, 08:52 AM EDT

My Heart hurts for her family. Shame on all adults who knew about this incidence and did nothing.

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mollymguire | Apr 12, 2010, 08:47 AM EDT

With monsters like this group, who don't let up, who constantly badger, how can anyone wonder why some kids bring guns to school? And then the schooly acts so innocent! I am sorry Phoebe was so desperate as to take her own life. Low lifes like these are the reason for incidents like Columbine!

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dorothy009 | Apr 11, 2010, 02:08 AM EDT

I hope they throw the book at these young adults, they were old enough to know better. ,maybe if others see that they can face criminal charges for bullying maybe they will think twice before they do it. as far as these idiots being the victims of threats and bullying well you reap what you sow.Now they know how Phoebe felt.

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auto117584 | Apr 10, 2010, 08:42 PM EDT

I think in the end we will find that the majority of the "evidence" being used by the media/public to fan the blood frenzy we see today, will be nothing more than fabrications, misinterpretations, and leaps in logic. The media no longer report the news; the media creates the news. The twisted logic of journalists appeals to the twisted minds of those who lust for blood.

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paladin | Apr 10, 2010, 12:03 AM EDT

The people involved in this are not human. Their lives as they know it are effectively over, they will become outcasts and rejects of society. The whole world knows what these creatures look like and who they are!

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