Father appalled by virtual audience to son’s death

MIAMI (AP) - The father of a college student whose suicide was broadcast live over a webcam said Saturday he was appalled by the virtual audience that egged on his son and called for tougher regulation of Internet sites.

Abraham Biggs Sr. said those who watched and the Web site operators share some blame in his 19-year-old son’s death.

“I think they are all equally wrong,” he said. “It’s a person’s life that we’re talking about. And as a human being, you don’t watch someone in trouble and sit back and just watch.”

Full Story Here:
Father appalled by virtual audience to son’s death

The very 1st thing I am going to say to the father is this, I am truly sorry for the loss of your son, I know it has to be very traumatic.

That said, just WHO in the hell do you think you are?? Have you ever been on the ‘net?? Have you ever read the garbage and seen the things that are posted, and done on the ‘net?? Have you ever seen the FAKE bullshit that gets foisted off on ALL of us that use this wonder of modern technology??

Are you freaking STUPID?? The Web site operators share some blame in your 19-year-old son’s death?? I would LOVE to sit on THAT jury.

Police found Abraham Biggs Jr. dead in his father’s bed Wednesday, 12 hours after he first declared on the Web site for bodybuilders that he planned to take his own life. He took a fatal drug overdose in front of an Internet audience. Although some viewers contacted the Web site to notify police, authorities did not reach his house in time.

He was dead for 12 hours?? In YOUR bed??

Biggs, who has said he was at work during the episode, said he had not known about his son’s online presence.

YOU were at work for those 12 hours?? What happened?? You work 12 hour shifts and your Son waited until you walked out the door to hatch this little ploy for attention?? UhHuh, like I said, I really AM sorry for your loss, but all YOU are looking for is someone to blame, and that’s ALL it is.

“I think after this incident and probably other incidents that have occurred in the past, they all point to some kind of regulation is necessary,” Biggs said. “I think it is wrong to have this happen for hours without any action being taken from the people in charge. Where were they all the time?”

Your Son was a sick individual, what the hell do YOU want?? The ‘net is NOT a babysitter for a bi-polar and obviously suicidal individual. It is NOT a place for the weak minded and easily influenced. More regulation is NOT what is needed Mr. Biggs. Common sense and personal responsibility are the order of the day. Other than taking the ‘net down completely, all the laws in the world won’t stop something like this from happening.

Is that what you want Mr. Biggs?? For the entire ‘net to disappear because your Son was a weak individual?? A Son that sent signals Mr. Biggs?? Signals that didn’t get picked up by YOU?? Do you want all users of the ‘net to be regulated because YOU didn’t see the signs that your Son was bi-polar and suicidal?

Some users told investigators they did not take him seriously because he had threatened suicide on the site before.

Biggs Sr. said he believes the webcast was a cry for help.

Mr. Biggs, you are a sad and pathetically naive individual. A cry for help wasn’t answered by the users of an anonymous tool like a web site?? Why in the hell weren’t YOU in tune with your son and his needs?? Why in the hell didn’t YOU answer his cry for help?? You DID see his desperation and you DID hear his cries, didn’t you Mr. Biggs??

Yeah, the more I type the more sarcastic and angry I get, you’re looking for someone to blame, and you won’t look at the one that IS to blame. Your Son did this to himself, now, ask yourself, WHY did he do it, what happened in his life that motivated him to kill himself on the WEB Mr. Biggs.

And then Mr. Biggs, ask yourself this; WHAT motivated him to lie down and DIE in YOUR bed?

EDIT TO ADD - Nov. 23, 2008: These statements are made by the mother and sister of Abraham Biggs Jr., I found these quotes on the BBC: Family shock at Florida web death

From the mother: ”My son, Abraham Biggs Jr, was well-loved and cared for. However, the mental illness of bipolarity and depression got the better part of him,” she wrote on MySpace.

The sister: The boy’s sister, Rosalind Biggs, denounced the website, Justin.tv, which allows people to broadcast themselves online: “They got hits, they got viewers, nothing happened for hours.”

I understand that these folks are distraught, but it is MY solid belief that the whole bunch of them is either loony toons, or simply looking for any venue that they may be able to attach blame. For crying out loud, the mother is using MySpace as a place to explain herself? Going online to talk about the death of a family member, immediately following that death, may be a strange new way of dealing with ones grief but it’s NOT what I would do or what I believe to be appropriate.

The viewers of Justin.tv had NO WAY of knowing whether this was real or a stunt. They had NO WAY of determining the mental health of Biggs Jr., and it was NOT their responsibility to care for him.

The responsibility for Biggs Jr. and his care fell to his family, his mother referred to his “mental illness of bipolarity and depression”, and if the death of Biggs Jr. is ANY indication, the family failed him miserably.

I am guessing the law suits will follow shortly, reparations come in many forms…

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