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By Eric Wilkinson
KING5 KING5
updated 4/19/2011 9:22:33 PM ET 2011-04-20T01:22:33
ISSAQUAH, Wash. - Like many 12-year-olds, Leslie Cote keeps track of her friends on Facebook. What she didn't realize is how they can quickly turn to enemies.
"They pretty much backstabbed me because I trusted them," she said.
When Leslie logged on last month she discovered someone was posing as her, posting sexually explicit photos and propositioning boys for sex.
"It made me feel really bad like people would think I was disgusting," said the Issaquah Middle School 6th grader.
At one point the suspects even started instant messaging boys — arranging dates where lewd sex acts were to be performed.
"It was unbelieveable," said Leslie's stepfather, Jon Knight. "They were asking boys if they want to have oral sex, giving out the phone number and address of where Leslie lives for the boys to come over."
Adding to the family's frustrations was the attitude of police who came to investigate.
"The officer pretty much wanted to dismiss it and didn't feel it warranted a report because they're just kids," said knight.
Those "kids" all ended up in court on Tuesday. After years of run-ins at school, on the playground and now the Internet, Leslie was granted a temporary restraining order against the two girls she used to call friends. King County prosecutors are considering charges against the two for cyberstalking.
Leslie's mother, Tara Cote, has little sympathy.
"I feel bad for the parents. They have to take care of this. But, I mean ... take control of your kid," she said.
Prosecutors say it is tough to get a cyberstalking charge to stick because there has to be a pattern of harassment over the Internet. A one-time incident like this usually doesn't constitute a crime. There are, however, other charges that families can pursue, such as "computer trespass" that are easier to prove.
"They have to learn there are real people who have real feelings who are hurt by their actions," said Cote'.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42672501?GT1=43001
