Dr Phil: Suicide Victim’s Mother Cyberbullied
Cyberbullying has gotten more attention in recent years as schoolyard taunts and feuds have moved into the digital space. Tricia is a woman who knows this painfully well, because her 12-year-old daughter Becca (formally Rebecca Ann) committed suicide after being cyberbullied in 2013. Tricia’s grieving has been persistently interrupted by a stranger also named Rebecca Ann, who claims that Tricia’s daughter Summer killed Becca, and that Tricia was part of the coverup.
Dr Phil got Tricia onstage and brought her face to face with Rebecca Ann, who has been harassing her online since shortly after her daughter’s death. What proof or evidence does this woman have that makes her think she can meddle in other people’s lives? Rebecca Ann claims to have gotten the information about this supposed murder because she had a vision. Tricia just wanted the harassment to stop.
Dr Phil: Stranger Has Visions of Murder
Dr Phil shared the saga of a woman who lost her daughter to suicide and has been cyberbullied ever since by a stranger who thinks the girl was murdered. (11638547@N00 / flickr)
According to Tricia, Rebecca Ann has been harassing not just her, but her whole family, including her teenage son. Tricia apparently hoped that taking this confrontation to the national stage would bring an end to it, but it only seemed to fuel Rebecca Ann’s passion to reopen the investigation into Becca’s death.
“I never said I know. I think that it is murder,” Rebecca Ann said when Dr Phil asked her to clarify her position. She also claimed that Dr Phil was taking her comments out of context. One of the elements Rebecca Ann claimed proves her point is that Tricia was seen by TV news cameras crying in the hours after her daughter’s death, which doesn’t seem like strong evidence of anything other than grief.
Dr Phil: Unlikely Ally in Murder Inquiry?
Rebecca Ann insists that Becca’s father Ken also wants the death investigation case reopened. Later in the show, Dr Phil had Ken on the phone while he went over the details of Rebecca Ann’s vision. “I think she came to me when she died,” Rebecca Ann said of her vision. The details included that Becca’s sister was responsible for her death.
Every time Dr Phil tried to press Becca on the veracity of her own past statements, she would attempt to undermine his credibility or suggest that she was being misrepresented. “But that is what you said your vision was, right?” Dr Phil asked. Rebecca Ann finally conceded the point, and Dr Phil turned to Ken: does he support this as evidence of his daughter’s supposed murder? “I do not,” Ken said, to the cheers and applause of the audience.
Dr Phil: I Didn’t Want This To Be About My Vision
Rebecca Ann also asserts that Tricia helped move Becca’s body after the alleged murder. Dr Phil wondered what Ken thought about this accusation against his ex-wife. “I have never heard that before,” Ken said. Dr Phil read some more of the details that Rebecca Ann has been spreading online, to which she responded, “This is very upsetting to me because I didn’t want this to be about my vision.”
Rebecca Ann melted down, implying that Dr Phil tricked her into participating in the show. She said the only reason she came on TV was in hopes of getting the case reopened, not to talk about her vision (I guess because she thinks it makes her look bad?). After quibbling with Tricia about who did what on Facebook, she summarized her position: “I know that Rebecca did not commit suicide, and she needs her case reopened so that she can have a voice.”
Dr Phil: Bystander Responsibility in Cyberbullying
Dr Phil said that he has been outspoken against Bullying of all kinds over the years, and he has even taken his fight against Cyberbullying all the way to Washington, D.C. His goal was to include warnings about Cyberbullying in educational curricula. “You have intruded on this family’s grief process. You have insinuated yourself into the healing process of people that have lost a family member through no wrongdoing,” Dr Phil said to Rebecca Ann.
Dr Phil also spoke about Bystander Responsibility, which calls on third parties to jump in or speak up when they witness Bullying or Cyberbullying. His hope for the family was that they are able to separate themselves from Rebecca Ann’s ongoing efforts, and he gave them kudos for their interest in anti-bullying education. “I do hope that you go forward with that,” Dr Phil said, offering a $10,000 donation to their cause from The Dr Phil Foundation and When Georgia Smiled.
Dr Phil #StrongAccusations: Cyberbullying Resources
What do you think about the #StrongAccusations in this case? While social media has made the world a smaller, more connected place, sometimes the powerful tools we have are used in ways we hope we never have to deal with. Have you been a victim of Cyberbullying? Leave a comment to share how you handled the situation.
One of the biggest differences between Cyberbullying and old fashioned in-person Bullying is that Cyberbullying is nearly inescapable. You may only be in school for a set number of hours in the day. But text messages and social media on your phone can keep the taunts coming 24/7. That’s also how and why rumors can spread faster than ever before.
For more information and resources in the fight against bullying, visit the Cyberbullying section of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Stop Bullying website.
suze says
I can NOT believe the pure, unmitigated EVIL GALL of that idiot who is publishing things that are NOT TRUE and ARE TOTAL FIGMENTS OF HER IMAGINATION! That lowlife moron is the walking, two legged PURE face of EVIL!
I hope the family not only takes her butt to court, but WINS BIG!
Jeff Conduff says
Dr. Phil,
I would like to thank you for bringing this hidden, cruel, and cowardly monster out of her hiding place behind her computer screen to be exposed for the pathetic, cowardly, ignorant, abusive, and apparently mentally disturbed creature that she is for all the public to see.
My heart goes out to the that young girl and her mother. All of my child protecting anger goes out to that pathetically deranged woman for what she is doing by attacking a child like she is!
Thank you and God for their attorney being there with them during this. I love the way he was able to sit there and listen to all of the solid evidence that self diluted idiot foolishly and freely submitted to you and the show! I am sure you are helping these poor people from day one and through this whole show. Bravo!!!
You were WAY more tolerable and easy on that woman throughout the entire show!
PLEASE keep track of this case and let all of us know how justice is delivered to her for this horrible bullying and harm. The world needs such examples. There are not enough. It must stop! This government needs to make these such acts a felony! The Internet is a criminal’s heaven and a wicked and lawless place!!!!
God Bless
Jeff Conduff
Keitha Scarfo says
I say we start a web site to shut her down and expose here for the crazy person she is!
Jill Vaughan says
My heart is breaking for Becca’s Mom and sister. The cruelty of that person is staggering! To have to accept, deal with, cope and heal from the unimaginable tragedy of losing your child, I’m at a loss to figure how this Mom can even string two words together in the face of what’s happening to her. What that woman is doing is the very definition of cyber bullying. Glad Dr. Phil unloaded on her with his very carefully chosen words. Unfortunately his assessment seems to have fallen on her deaf (and dumb) ears and none of what anyone had to say appeared to have had any impact whatsoever. Shame, shame, shame! Particularly enjoyed final words to Mom’s counsel about taking advantage of EVERY legal remedy to put the brakes on that idiot. V interested to follow this story and look forward to seeing her held to account for her behavior
DKL says
What a shame that there has to be such cruel people in this world. Obviously this woman thinks she knows more than the police and the medical examiner. I did read in an article that this young girl did text someone saying that she had decided to jump. Tho this woman says this girl never mentioned this form of suicide. That alone shows this woman has not a clue! My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
Danni Rekeweg says
How utterly evil this woman is ! She needs to butt out of the familys life.How dare she intrude on their lives with her assinine Asumptions based on what…”we share the same name…”?She is about 50 cards short of a full deck.
Facebook needs to shut her down, because SHE is the one cyber bullying.
I am just outraged at her evil behaviour.
My heart goes out to Beccas Mother, Fathet and Sister.
Heather says
Dr Phil,
Thank you for putting that crazy woman on the screen. It is such a crying shame that any family has to lose one of their children, and to have this woman stalking them is just cruel. My heart goes out to Tricia and her family. I hope justice puts Rebecca (from the show) in her place.
God Bless
Skye says
My mother and I just finished watching the show. I’m a 17 year old girl, who has gone through most types of bullying, and I would just like to say that I am thoroughly disgusted by Rebecca Anne’s actions against Tricia and her family.
Have you no sense of moral decency, or respect for the dead? That little girl who you supposedly had a connection with at the time of her death (you need help, by the way, solid mental help,) would be absolutely devastated by what you’re doing. You have literally taken what killed her (cyber bullying,) and used it to make yourself bigger.
I love how Tricia’s lawyer was sitting there, hearing and watching everything you said. He has now compiled a plethora of solid evidence (which would fly right over your head,) against you. You will get sent to court for harassment and slander, and I hope you pay big. I hope you pay every sent you own, and all of that money goes to Tricia’s new foundation.
As for the family, I am so sorry you’ve been plagued by this lunatics ranting and raving, and I wish you get the chance to grieve properly. Loosing a loved one is almost insurmountable on its own, without all the added bulls—. Stay strong, lovelies, and kick that phsychotic b—-es ass.
Kristine Weisbrod says
It is disgusting to see what this woman is visiting upon this grieving family. Sickness is too small a word to sum up why she’s doing it. There has got to be some kind of horrific trauma she herself endured to have the absolutely screwed up perspective she is taking. Is this some new kind of Munchausen-by-proxy disorder whereby one can focus extreme attention on oneself by slandering a family in pain? I hope the lawyer does follow through with legal remedies to stop this woman, and may it include a full psychiatric evaluation for her own sake.
Bonnie says
All these comments about this crazy woman. What if she isn’t wrong? She sounds crazy but she truly believes there is a misjustice. Why would an investigation be so op
posed to if there is nothing to hide. Prove her wrong, that’s what makes me crazy, fight for what you believe to be true. People are delusional if they think family wouldn’t do this to each other and than try to hide it. It is despicable what people will do to each other, that’s what this world is unfortunately coming to. People do not take responsibility for their actions and there is no accountability. That is why there are so many frivolous lawsuits that are filed and unfortunately won, reinforcing this attitude. It is a sad but true fact that over 50% of crimes are committed by family or family friends.
Jill Vaughan says
Bonnie, have YOU lost your mind? Do have kids? Put yourself in that Mom’s shoes … police investigation? Done. ME’s report? Done. And this mental case has a “vision”; a “feeling”. If there was ANY evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the police and/or medical examiner, do you not think the case would have been reopened by now? If there was any merit to her charges, they would have come to light since original investigation. As for the fact that over 50% crimes are committed by family? Completely true. But in this case, that has been ruled out. Even when the father was interviewed by phone, he sounded as if even HE thought this woman was nuts. Give yourself a shake, Bonnie. The unending suffering this family is experiencing is only amplified by baseless accusations coming from someone who has absolutely NO business being involved. She can have her opinion but assembling a mob to support and continue to harass this family is unconscionable!
Mary says
Jill,
Bonnie may be part of her lunatic posse so relax. Don’t buy into her ision…?
My 18 year old son committed suicide in 1987 and he was bullied. I have been through it all and I never assume things about others. People react differently to situations. My son seemed fine the night before he shot himself as he had made up his mind that his pain was over. I was in shock for weeks afterwards and I do not know how people viewed me and I do not care. I walked around like a robot and did what had to be done and took care of others.
This so called Rebecca Ann with the loathsome Facebook site (accusing someone she does not know of murder) must attract followers who think they have Mystic Powers. DISGUSTING PEOPLE!
gigi hart says
This woman has gotten worse since the show. She is constantly making up one lie after another. She is now saying that Dr. Phil made everyone hate her, so she’s going to sue him. She also claims she is having his show taken off the air. I never in my wildest dreams imagined there were people this evil.
Mary Jo says
Yeah, let’s just waste even more taxpayer money investigating an open-and-shut case because some crazy person had a vision. Seriously??! She already HAS been proven wrong! Do you seriously think that if there was even a shred of evidence that a 12-year-old girl was murdered that the police would ignore it?? You talk about “frivolous lawsuits” and yet you are wanting a “frivolous” re-opening of a case on the say-so of a delusional person that is just looking for attention.
Maryann Shaw says
Is there any update on this story? I would like to know if the bully was prosecuted or at least sued!
Lilly says
I just saw this episode for the first time and I was livid. It’s sad enough that this little girl was bullied, the mother already feels guilty that she had no idea how hurt her baby was, then along comes this fool. I think I can tell you why the father doesn’t believe what happened, because for some reasons, their fathers who just can’t accept that child suffered this way. My daughter is bi-polar, and it took years for her daddy to accept that his only child was mentally ill. He probably also feels guilty that she felt she couldn’t come to him. It hurts. This crazy cow should be locked up.