Two 18-year-old men face child pornography charges in connection with the case of a 17-year-old girl who hanged herself after she was allegedly gang-raped and bullied online, Canadian authorities said Thursday evening.
A police statement did
not provide details, but the family of Rehtaeh Parsons has said she
developed suicidal thoughts after she was sexually assaulted in 2011 and
a picture of the incident was shared by phone and online.
The two men whose names
were not released were arrested Thursday morning at their homes in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, according to Royal Canadian Mounted Police and
Halifax Regional Police.
One man faces two counts
of distribution of child pornography, authorities said. The other is
accused of one count of distribution of child pornography and one count
of making child pornography.
The two, who were minors at the time of the incident, were released on a promise to appear August 15 in youth court.
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Parsons was taken off life support in April, three days after she hanged herself.
The alleged sexual assault by four boys happened in November 2011 when Rehtaeh was 15, her family said.
Authorities confirmed that a photograph was circulated to friends' mobile phones and computers.
Police investigated, but
no criminal charges were filed at that time. In April, police in
eastern Canada announced they would reopen the case "in light of new and
credible information that has recently been brought forward to police."
Chief Superintendent Roland Wells of Halifax District RCMP said he hoped the arrests will help the community heal.
"A young girl has died
in what was a tragic set of circumstances," Wells said in Thursday
evening's statement. "We all need to reflect on how we as a community
can come together in Rehtaeh's memory and see what we can do to work
together to support our youth."
When evidence goes viral
Parsons' mother told CNN affiliate CBC on Thursday that she felt "better" now that arrests have been made.
Leah Parsons said she learned of the arrests when police came to her house to tell her.
"I felt a little bit of
relief, just to say, finally -- like I hope -- they keep saying they
want to tell their side of the story, but they have never given a
statement. The police have never spoken to them in all this time. So at
least, here is your chance. Tell your side of the story," she said.
News of the arrests came one day after cybersafety legislation inspired by Parsons was implemented in Nova Scotia.
The law allows victims,
among other things, to sue their alleged cyberbullies. If a bully is a
minor, the bully's parents can be held liable.
Officials said the timing of the arrests and the implementation of the legislation was merely a coincidence.
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