A Michigan teen will spend the next two years on probation after confessing to convincing a Texas boy he met in an online gaming community to die by suicide.
The boy is unnamed due to his age, pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal on December 7th in a Montgomery County, Texas court, to aiding suicide and harassment causing death.
The juvenile victim, whose identity also hasn’t been shared due to his age, died by suicide this past January in Montgomery County, an area located north of Houston.
According to police, the 15-year-old victim shot himself in the head and was found wearing a gaming headset.
A subsequent investigation launched by the Montgomery County Constable Precinct 3 revealed that the suspect and victim were part of an online gaming community and instant messaging platform known as Discord.
Prosecutors said the suspect had “instructed” and “harassed” the victim to die by suicide.
Montgomery County prosecutor Stuart Hughes said, “After interviewing other members of the online gaming community over multiple states, we were able to collect evidence that led to the 16-year old suspect in Allen Park, Michigan.”
“I think some of the ramifications that kids don’t understand is that there is someone on the other end of the phone,” Lt. Ken Washington, a public information officer with Montgomery County Precinct 3.
Prosecutors said in the release that the teen suspect will remain on probation until the age of 18.
A suicide awareness program, a psycho-social evaluation, no online gaming or equipment with internet connection and no firearms are among the terms he was ordered to follow.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
