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Florida 'bullying death' charges dropped | Florida 'bullying death' charges dropped |
(35 minutes later) | |
Stalking charges have been dropped against two teenage girls in connection with the alleged bullying of another Florida girl who took her own life. | Stalking charges have been dropped against two teenage girls in connection with the alleged bullying of another Florida girl who took her own life. |
The two girls, aged 12 and 14, are said to have hounded Rebecca Sedwick online for a year. | |
A lawyer for the 12-year-old has demanded an apology from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd for the arrest. | A lawyer for the 12-year-old has demanded an apology from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd for the arrest. |
But Sheriff Judd said he did not have any regrets and that the girls will now receive "the services they need". | |
"Our goal is that these kids never bully anyone again, never torment anyone again," he said. | "Our goal is that these kids never bully anyone again, never torment anyone again," he said. |
'Troubled young girl' | 'Troubled young girl' |
The girls were arrested a month after Rebecca, 12, jumped to her death from a tower at an abandoned concrete plant on 9 September. | |
Officials said the bullying had begun last year after the 14-year-old girl objected to Rebecca dating a boy whom she had been seeing. | Officials said the bullying had begun last year after the 14-year-old girl objected to Rebecca dating a boy whom she had been seeing. |
The girls bullied Rebecca through online message boards and mobile text messages, authorities told the news media. | The girls bullied Rebecca through online message boards and mobile text messages, authorities told the news media. |
On Wednesday Jose Baez, a lawyer for the 12-year-old, said he had found "zero evidence having to do with my client that would rise to the level of a criminal act". | On Wednesday Jose Baez, a lawyer for the 12-year-old, said he had found "zero evidence having to do with my client that would rise to the level of a criminal act". |
He said his client was a "troubled young girl" who had been bullied herself. | He said his client was a "troubled young girl" who had been bullied herself. |
Mr Baez said he has not ruled out a lawsuit on the girl's behalf against the Polk County sheriff's office, for what he called a "reckless" move to arrest her and the 14-year-old, name her and show her police-booking photo at a press conference. | |
A lawyer for the 14-year-old confirmed to the Associated Press news agency that charges against her had been dropped as well. | A lawyer for the 14-year-old confirmed to the Associated Press news agency that charges against her had been dropped as well. |
That girl's stepmother, Vivian Vosburg, was arrested last month on child abuse charges in connection with a video posted to Facebook allegedly showed her punching two boys. |
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