Bad Situation - He signed off - So much for 911!

[Feralpeg]

Kendall's been talking to a kid she met on Facebook for about a month. During this time, he's been all over the place. One day, he seems friendly and talkative. The next day, he acts like he doesn't want to talk any more.

They've never met in person. We do know that he lives in the Orlando area, but that is about it.

Tonight, he started a conversation with her. He said that he was really depressed. When she asked him about what, he wouldn't say...just that his life was a mess and that he had been suffering for five years. I do know that he has some type of really bad skin condition.

Anyway, the conversation went downhill. He told her things that scared her. He made her think that he may be planing on hurting himself. He told her that he was going to free himself. When she pressed him for more information, he said she would see a message on Facebook tomorrow. She told him that he was scaring her. He told her not to worry and that she had been a really good friend. She asked him if he was telling her goodbye. He didn't answer, but just said that he has accepted his fate.

I called the suicide prevention hotline. They told me to call the Orlando mental health number. They told me to call Orange county crisis line. The guy on the Orange county crisis line told me that there was really nothing they could do if he hadn't come right out and said he was going to hurt himself. They said to have him call 211. Kendall ask the kid to do this. He said maybe later.

I did find his sister on his Facebook page and I sent the poor thing a message. When she sees it, it will probably scare her to death, but I don't know when she will see it.

You'd think someone would take a little more interest in this kid. Kendall is beside herself with worry. I'm pretty worried myself. I've thought about calling 911, but I don't know how to find the kid.

They are still talking, but the conversation is getting sparse. If he is jerking us around and I ever meet this kid, he'll wish it never happened!


I called 911. I told them that there was a possibility that this kid might attempt suicide. They told me there was nothing they could do without an address. How about trying to get the information from Facebook? It lists his employer. We have his cell number. Nope, they can't do it. ARGH!

 

[mmorrison]

Oh your poor precious child. What a horrible situation for you all to be in. You have done everything you could do. Trust that there is a higher power. You can't control his actions and you have done more than enough to prevent it. I hope everything turns out well.

 

[Feralpeg]

Thanks. It is so upsetting to know that something could happen and not be able to get anyone to do anything about it. Somehow, I always thought that the system would work harder for someone in trouble.

 

[Feralpeg]

Kendall told him that she had sent a message to his sister via Facebook (actually, I did - sister isn't online). He got mad and signed off. Now, we have no idea what is happening. I doubt either one of us will get much sleep tonight.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

I am so sorry she is going through this.

However, I am not at all surprised. The system in Orlando failed my mother as well. She called the "prevention hotline" and was put on hold. A month later she was gone.

I truly hope this kid is jerking her chain!

 

[DebbieB]

I think it's a fine line with internet privacy. So many people make up things on the internet, there has to be some protection from the police being able to get your information easily. I think there might need to be a court order, similiar to a search warrant.

 

[yourMaire83]

This sounds incredibly familiar. I had a guy from the Orlando area pull the exact same stuff on me about 6+ years ago. I was talking to him on AIM (AOL Instant Messenger). I know 2 of his aliases on there but not who he would be on Facebook. If it's the same guy he's full of it. I remember the skin issues and stuff he told me. I thought (in his better older photos) that he kind of looked like Corey Haim. My gut feeling was that it is the same person and he is just a creep playing on others emotions and that you have nothing to worry about.

 

[IDoDis]

First question: How old is Kendall and why is she friending people on facebook that she's never met?

Now about the possible suicide -- I hate to say this, but I hope (and think) I'm right. This person is full of you-know-what. I've heard of this happening before. In fact, this happened to the son of a friend of mine a few years ago. He met a girl by playing some computer game online. Eventually they ended up exchanging cell phone numbers. They started out texting and then started talking - working their way up to several hours a night. They fell in love.

Then the girl dropped the bomb on him saying she had brain cancer and didn't have long to live. She said she didn't want any more treatment and was thinking about ending her life now before the pain got worse. She also suggested she come out to our city (she lived 2 states away) with her friends for a visit so she could meet the love of her life before her life ended.

My friend's son (who was 13 at the time), was in tears. It was then that he told his mom all about this girl. The mom called the girl herself and spoke with her for an hour. Many of the things she said just didn't jive. I encouraged my friend to call the police in the city where the girl lived. A detective in her city did some checking and then called my friend back. As it turned out, the girl was 19 years old (she said she was 14). According to the driver's license info that the detective obtained, she weighed almost 400 pounds -- certainly not the girl she had sent picture texts of to my friend's son.

The detective paid a visit to her house. He spoke to her to admit that everything had been a lie. There was no brain cancer. She was pretty much housebound (maybe due to her obesity) and was bored. She wanted someone to love her, but felt she had to lie her way into a relationship. She ended all contact with my friend's son based on the directive from the detective. My friend's son learned an important lesson about starting relationships with complete strangers. Kids are very gullible. We adults need to protect them and need to safeguard their internet experiences.

 

[Robinrs]

I find it hard to believe MOST of the junk I read on FB. My son and his friends have admitted to playing with aliases just to mess with people. The anonymity takes "pranks" to an amazing level.

I hate to say it but I would stay out of it. 911 is right, what can they do? They have to concentrate on those things they can dispatch someone to, if they answered every angst filled teenager post on FB, they'd be wasting lots of time.

I hope he's okay and NOT playhing around, but no need to over worry. This kid is probably looking for attention.

 

[4nana]

Peg, I hope you and Kendall were able to get some rest last night . This kid sounds like he's got some major issues, let's hope and pray he was playing mind games.
Be it true or not, RL or internet, I think the feeling of helplessness is emotionally devastating to go through.

 

[razorbackfan22]

I hope there is nothing to the young man's story. If you have the time, rent and watch "talhotblond" and take the lessons to heart.

People lie on the internet and things get out of hand. I hope your daughter sticks to people she knows in real life.

 

[SaraJayne]

Yeah, I'm in the not-buying-it-camp.

 

[goofy's friends]

At least, either way, the sister now knows of his stunt. If it was real, hopefully she'll get hi some help. If not, hopefully he'll be embarrassed into never doing it again.

 

[mickeylove2]

This just recently happened on Twitter, some kid following Demi Moore's Twitter page posted about wanting to commit suicide and another celebrity saw it and called the cops and they went to the boys house and got him help. I don't remember all of the details but he needed serious help. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that he's full of bs, I would try to help him.

 

[Feralpeg]

Thank you all. This morning, I have to think you are right and that this kid was just playing us. Odd, I didn't get any response from his sister regarding what he told us. He was really angry when Kendall told him that we had sent a message to her.

Anyway, there was nothing posted on his Facebook page today.

As for how old Kendall is, she is 22. She met him through one of those Facebook app things. I told her that I don't think that is a good idea, but I must admit that I have accepted people I don't know as friends on Facebook and talk to them. Of course, I'm not a cute, 22 year old girl so I don't tend to attract the same types of people.

She is not planning on talking to him any more.

I was surprised, however, how little concern people had when there was the possibility that someone could hurt themselves. Kind of scary.

 

[SaraJayne]

Thank you all. This morning, I have to think you are right and that this kid was just playing us. Odd, I didn't get any response from his sister regarding what he told us. He was really angry when Kendall told him that we had sent a message to her.

Anyway, there was nothing posted on his Facebook page today.

As for how old Kendall is, she is 22. She met him through one of those Facebook app things. I told her that I don't think that is a good idea, but I must admit that I have accepted people I don't know as friends on Facebook and talk to them. Of course, I'm not a cute, 22 year old girl so I don't tend to attract the same types of people.

She is not planning on talking to him any more.

I was surprised, however, how little concern people had when there was the possibility that someone could hurt themselves. Kind of scary.

Tell her to completely block him. That way, he is unable to contact her or even "see" her on Facebook.

 

[cinmell]

Tell her to completely block him. That way, he is unable to contact her or even "see" her on Facebook.

I agree with this advice!