Michigan teen admits he pushed Texas child to commit suicide while playing online game

A teenage boy in Michigan is apparently facing charges after a child in Texas committed suicide while playing an online game almost a year ago.

An investigation into the situation was kicked off in January, when police officers responded to a call about a possible suicide, according to Ryan Gable, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that investigators entered the home to find that the child had died. The child was apparently still wearing a gaming headset and appeared to still be logged into the online game at the time of death.

The specific game the two children were playing was not revealed.

In the months that followed, investigators questioned a number of members of an online gaming group that stretched across the nation. And now charges have been brought against a minor who lives in Allen Park, Michigan, around 1,000 miles away from the victim.

A Facebook statement was posted on Friday, which stated that the minor from Michigan had "pled true to a felony charge of aiding suicide and a misdemeanor charge of harassment causing death."

The names of the two children involved have not been released due to their age.

"During a lengthy investigation, which involved multiple search warrants, legal processes, and interviews with members of an online gaming community in multiple different states around the nation, a juvenile male suspect was identified in the State of Michigan," the statement continued.

"Upon conclusion of the investigation, the case was presented to the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office. On December 7, 2023, the juvenile male suspect from Michigan appeared in a Montgomery County Court ..."

Prosecutors claim that the suspect, a 16-year-old boy, had allegedly harassed the victim online, which resulted in the suicide, according to NBC News. The nature of the harassment is unclear.

The suspect reportedly accepted a plea deal in the case, and he is set to remain under probation until he turns 18.

"The Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office takes investigations regarding cyberbullying seriously and will continue to investigate these cases to the fullest extent," the office said.

Pierre Matta, senior clinical supervisor with Family Houston, urged parents who are concerned about their child's online activity to be open to a conversation and aware of the possibility of cyberbullying.

"Parents really need to be proactive about trying to understand what games their kids are playing and who they're playing with," Matta said.

Matta went on to claim that the gaming community has a problem with cyberbullying and harassment, adding that parents need to be proactive in contacting the gaming company if they discover that their child has been the target of bullying.

"That anonymity has really increased the likelihood, coupled with the violent nature of the games, it's really scary how much this is happening," Matta concluded.

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