GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Parents and members of law enforcement testified before the Michigan House of Representatives committee Thursday, urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would require schools to teach teens about the dangers of sextortion.
“My baby boy took his own life while I was at work eating lunch. I was worried about feeding myself while he was contemplating his precious life,” Stephanie Rodrigues-Torres told the committee members.
Teen’s parents to other sextortion victims: Ask for help
Her son, Deyani, died by suicide in metro Grand Rapids in 2023. He was only 13.
Deyani had fallen victim to “sextortion” — usually online extortion in which a blackmailer threatens to share explicit photos of the victim or tell others about their sexual activity.
“Deyani died because I was not educated to know what to protect my son from. All of this could have been prevented if I was educated and told what to look for,” Rodrigues-Torres said…