2 teens charged with distributing child pornography in Rehtaeh Parsons case: RCMP
Posted August 8, 2013 7:10 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – Police have arrested and charged two teenage males with distributing child pornography in the case of Rehtaeh Parsons, the 17-year-old Halifax girl who died following a suicide attempt in what her family says stemmed from months of online bullying after an alleged sexual assault.
The RCMP and Halifax police said Thursday they arrested two males at their homes in Halifax at around 8 a.m.
“Investigators from our CID division (Criminal Investigation Division) arrested two males at their residence in HRM (Halifax Regional Municipality). They are currently in police custody and are being questioned by our investigators,” RCMP Corp. Scott MacRae told News95.7, 680News’ sister station in Halifax.
Corp. MacRae said no charges have been laid at this point and because of that no names have been released.
Rehtaeh was taken off life-support in April after she attempted suicide in her home.
Her family said she was bullied for months after a digital photo of her allegedly being sexually assaulted in November 2011 was passed around her school.
The RCMP said earlier this year that they looked into the sexual assault allegations but concluded there were no grounds to lay charges.
They later reopened their investigation, saying they received new information.
Rehtaeh’s death sparked national outrage and prompted the Nova Scotia government to launch reviews of the RCMP’s original investigation into the case and the school board’s handling of the matter. The review of the RCMP’s original investigation is ongoing.
An independent review released in June concluded the Halifax Regional School Board could have done a better job, but it was hindered by the fact that Rehtaeh was often absent from class.
The report also said the Parsons family faced challenges when they turned to Nova Scotia’s mental health system for help.
The arrests come a day after a new law took effect in the province that allows people to sue if they or their children are being cyberbullied. Victims can also seek a protection order that could place restrictions on or help identify the cyberbully.
Justice Minister Ross Landry introduced the legislation weeks after Rehtaeh’s death.
