Published July 21, 2010

Phoebe Prince

Phoebe Prince, the South Hadley teenager whose suicide led to the demonization of her bullies, may have been more troubled than we knew.

In a startling, 12,000-word article on Slate, reporter Emily Bazelon (@emilybazelon) says the case is far more complicated than the press has let on.

A recent immigrant from Ireland, Phoebe Prince was pretty, smart and popular in high school. But she was vulnerable. Destructive. Instead of fighting back when kids picked on her, she hurt herself. She encroached on other relationships. She fell out with friends.

My investigation into the events that gave rise to Phoebe’s death, based on extensive interviews and review of law enforcement records, reveals the uncomfortable fact that Phoebe helped set in motion the conflicts with other students that ended in them turning on her. Her death was tragic, and she shouldn’t have been bullied. But she was deeply troubled long before she ever met the six defendants. And her own behavior made other students understandably upset.

The author says she grappled with whether to write the story at all. “But when the D.A. charged kids with causing Phoebe’s death and threatened them with prison, she invited an inquiry into other potential causes.” The case reveals just how poorly equipped we all are to understand and deal with teen bullying.

It’s a fascinating read.

Update: Here & Now talked to Bazelon on the show Wednesday.