More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Facebook troll victims Amanda Slann (left) and Charlotte Porter
by Anna White
Twisted cyber-bullies have put two grieving families
through further heartbreak by targeting memorials to their dead
children.
Cruel internet trolls wrote sick comments and posted
disrespectful photos on Facebook tribute pages for cancer victim
Amanda Slann and Charlotte Porter, both 17.
One heartless taunter even posed as Charlotte, who died of deep
vein thrombosis.
A status update that purported to come from the teen read: "Is
enjoying the lovely Kent sunshine with all my friends who I love so
much! LOL, jk (joke) in a wooden box rotting."
Similar messages started appearing on the RIP Amanda Slann group
last week, causing more misery for parents June and Graham who live
in Tovil.
It has been just two months since Amanda lost her battle with
leukaemia.
Beverly and Trevor Porter
are campaigning after their daughter Charlotte’s Facebook tribute
page was attacked by a troll
Mrs Slann, 55, who also has two daughters, Holly, 14, and
12-year-old Lacie, said: "I was devastated when I saw what they had
put.
"How sick does someone have to be to write such horrible things
and so soon after she died?"
The troll wrote they would urinate on the Invicta Grammar School
pupil's grave and uploaded a photo of two cancer patients with the
caption: "We're having great fun. Life sucks for Amanda."
Just a few days ago on a YouTube tribute to the teen, someone
wrote in a comment that her funeral was "hilarious".
An internet troll is someone who searches websites to post
offensive and sometimes threatening comments.
The trend - designed to provoke a reaction - has
increased with the growing popularity of Facebook and Twitter.
Charlotte Porter's tribute page was
targeted just over a year ago.
The Maplesden Noakes pupil collapsed and died at Maidstone
Hospital in March 2010, while waiting for blood tests.
Her parents Beverly, 49, and Trevor, 65, from Maidstone, were
told a man called Sean Duffy (pictured left) was arrested in
connection with online attacks, including those against Charlotte
and sentenced to 18 weeks in prison.
Mrs Porter said: "I was distraught when I saw he had defaced her
school photo as it's the most recent picture we have of her.
"He had found out so much information, where she lived, what
school she went to and even where she is buried. I was too scared
to go to her grave in case he was there or had damaged it."
Ch Insp Jon Bumpus, from Kent Police, said
sending abusive messages can be an offence under the malicious
communications act.
No arrests have yet been made in connection with the abuse on
Amanda's tribute page.
A Facebook spokesman said there was "absolutely no place" for
trolling on the site and that the company reacted swiftly if abuse
was reported.
To sign the petition visit www.cybersmile.org/get-involved.html.
