Parents Files Lawsuit Against Snapchat Over Oregon Teen's Death

WARNING: The content discussed in this article touches on suicide and other disturbing topics. Viewer discretion advised.

A 16-year-old boy died by suicide nearly a year ago, and now his family is filing a lawsuit against Snapchat and two other messaging apps over his death, according to KGW.

Reporters said Carson Bride of Lake Oswego, Oregon had been receiving anonymous messages on the apps Yolo and LMK in the months leading up to his death. The messages reportedly referenced events at school and included sexual comments.

Carson's parents, Kristin and Tom, told reporters their son spent his last days trying to identify his tormentors. The person behind the messages has not been identified.

“We are attentive parents but this anonymous cyberbullying was silently occurring without our knowledge," the parents said.

Snap Inc., the owner of Snapchat, said it's suspending YOLO and LMK in response to the lawsuit. "In light of the serious allegations raised by the lawsuit, and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the Snapchat community, we are suspending both YOLO and LMK's Snap Kit integrations while we investigate these claims," the company said in a statement.

An official with Lines for Life, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing suicide and substance abuse, said online bullying accounts for more than 10% of calls from teens to the line.

Photo: Getty Images