Teens today spend almost five hours a day swiping right, scrolling and sharing on social media. But how do you know what your child is doing is safe?
There’s a growing danger online for teenagers. It’s called sextortion. It’s when predators befriend teens online, manipulate them into compromising situations, and then threaten to expose them unless they pay up.
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One parent shares with us the dangers of sextortion and its devastating consequences.
Walker Montgomery had just celebrated his 16th birthday, got his driver’s license, loved hanging out with his family, and was tight with his teammates.
“Walker was the best kid you could ask for,” said Brian Montgomery, Walker’s dad.
Everything seemed perfect -- until it wasn’t.
“Around midnight Walker was contacted through Instagram on the messaging portal by someone he thought to be a teenage girl his age. And it was a simple, ‘Hey, what’s up?’” explained Montgomery.
But after a while, the conversation turned.
“And that led this person to inviting Walker into a sexual encounter through Instagram. Walker didn’t realize it, but he was being recorded from a secondary device on the other side,” said Montgomery.
The person on the other end wasn’t a girl, but someone more sinister. Threatening to put an image and video of Walker on social media unless Walker paid them a thousand dollars.
“Walker responded, ‘I’m gonna kill myself.’ Their response was, go ahead because you’re already dead anyway,” said Montgomery.
That night, Walker went to his dad’s safe, grabbed a handgun and took his own life.
“People, they assume that this had been a building over multiple days or weeks or whatever. This is one night, one night,” said Montgomery.
Experts believe the shame teens feel can become overwhelming.
So, what can parents do? Experts say it’s imperative to keep the lines of communication open, educate teens about the risks of sharing personal information online, and while you want to respect their privacy, stay informed about your teen’s online activity -- what sites they visit and who they’re chatting with.
“If they’re totally focused on online and they’re being very secretive, as a parent be aware of what apps that are maybe a little bit riskier,” explained Montgomery.
And let your child know they won’t be judged or blamed for seeking help.
“What’s important for a parent to hear is how quickly this can happen and how unexpected. We all went to bed that night, including Walker. He went to his room that night without any real care in the world, you know? And here we are,” said Montgomery.
Walker’s family has started the non-profit Walker’s Mission. It has helped to push forward two bills into law in Mississippi to protect children from sextortion scams and punish by law those responsible.
The FBI tracked down the person who was blackmailing Walker in Nigeria. No arrests have been made yet.
Resources
Here is a list of mental health resources available in Florida.
- UF Health St. Johns Behavioral Health Resource Center - open 24/7 with clinicians on staff and available to assist during a crisis. No appointment is needed.
- EPIC Behavioral Health Rapid Response Team – 24/7 service for individuals 26+, dial 988, and a response will occur within 60 minutes of the request.
- EPIC Access Support Center – Walk-in services for mental health at their North Campus, Northwest Campus, and Flagler Campus. If this service is needed, walk-in during hours or call (904) 495-7001.
- Mobile Response Team – 24/7 service for individuals 5-25 years old. Dial 988 or 911 and a response will occur within 60 minutes of the request.
- Vinson Foundation - A support group for St. Johns, Jacksonville, Fernandina Beach, and Orange Park, for families who lost someone to suicide.
- St. Augustine Youth Services: 904-829-1770
- Call 211 - Local experts are available 24/7 to help. Calls to 211 are confidential and can be anonymous.
- Hope for Healing Florida - Hope for Healing navigates the many ways Floridians can access help for mental health and substance abuse
These resources can be accessed nationwide.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988 for help. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support for people in distress, prevention, and crisis resources for you or someone you know.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides resources for issues with mental health, drugs, or alcohol.
- Veterans Crisis Line - Text 838255 or call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1
- Crisis Text Line - Text “Home” to 741741
- Teen Line - Text “Teen” to 839863
If you or anyone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.