The Missouri teenager whose 2012 sexual assault case angered people across the nation was hospitalized early Monday after a suicide attempt.
In a post to her Facebook account, Melinda Coleman said her daughter Daisy Coleman tried to take her own life on Sunday. Melinda said Daisy attempted suicide after being "terrorized" on social media by teenagers after she attended a party over the weekend. Speaking with WDAF, Melinda said Daisy was being treated at a Kansas City children's psychiatric hospital. As of Monday, her condition was said to be stable.
As we reported earlier, Matthew Barnett, then 18, was accused of raping then-14-year-old Daisy Coleman on Jan. 7, 2012, at a party in the basement of his home. The Maryville High School football player -- who was a senior at the time – brought Coleman and her 13-year-old friend to his home, where Coleman says she was raped after she blacked out from drinking alcohol.
Barnett, now 19, was initially charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. But after just two months, the charges were dropped. In October 2013, Daisy Coleman identified herself publicly as the sexual assault victim, revealing that she faced threats and constant bullying from community members after reporting the rape.
The case gained increased exposure last year, with the hactivist group Anonymous even getting involved in supporting the case. In her Facebook post, Melinda also called for the organization to once again step up its support of Daisy's case:
Where is anonymous now? My daughter has been terrorized to the point she tried to kill herself last night. She may never be ok. Where are you and your super hacking skills and internet help now.......we really need them
