Son Sues Mommy Dearest for Harassment on Facebook
Facebook, a great way to connect with friends and family! Sometimes, though things just go too far. An Arkansas teen has filed harassment charges with local prosecutors because his Facebook page was hacked, his password was changed and mean comments were posted - by his mommy. Beware friends, this time mom's the hacker.
Learning a great life lesson -- always log off your Facebook page when leaving someone else's computer -- Lane New returned to his page, only to find it inaccessible due to Mom's interference. CBS/AP News reports things went from bad to worse as Mom New used her new found friend-ly status to start posting things Lane claims "involve slander and personal facts about my life." It seems Mom was upset about a few things Lane had posted, like the night he drove home from Hot Springs Ark., at 95 mph because he was upset over something that happened with a girl. There are worse things, mom. Ms. New says there were other posts that bothered her, but would not elaborate.
Since Lane lives with his grandmother after his mother's difficult divorce, it appears they could not settle this disagreement the old-fashioned way, with a screaming match in the kitchen. So, Lane proceeded to get the law involved. CBS reports after presenting local prosecutors with a hand-written complaint outlining his mother's troubling behavior, he got officials to agree that he had made his case for harassment. According to CBS News, Prosecutor Todd Turner refused to comment, but did cite Arkansas' harassment law that, "a person commits the offense if he engages in conduct or repeatedly commits acts that alarm or seriously annoy another person." One wonders about enforcement. Under that law as written, every 6 year-old in the country would be under indictment.
Denise New says she will fight the charges. If she does not, she feels it will be "open season" on all vigilant parents who seek to keep their children in line. Or maybe she meant, online.
Denise New is scheduled to make friends with a judge on May 12.
Related Resources:
- Facebook Family Feud: Mom Snoops Online, Son Charges Harassment, So They'll See Each Other in Court (CBS/AP News)
- Understanding Different Types of Harassment (FindLaw)
- Harassment Lawsuit: The Toothpick Case (FindLaw's Legal Grounds)
- Restraining Orders (FindLaw)
- Parents' Obligations to their Children (provided by Hall & Hall, PLC)
- Family Law Overview (provided by De Leon and Associates)
