Teenage Girl Commits Suicide Following Alleged Sexual Assault and Cyber Bullying

A national uproar is growing over what happened to a vivacious high school student who took her own life after graphic photos were taken of her at a party, then e-mailed to classmates.

Audrie Pott's grieving parents are speaking out for the first time.

"She didn't reach out to an adult who knew how to handle the gravity of this situation. I think if she did, she would still be with us," said her mother, Lisa, at a press conference.

15-year-old Audrie of Saratoga, California was a member of a middle school marching band color guard. She performed at President Obama’s first inaugural parade in 2009 parade, to the delight of the president's daughters, Sasha and Malia.

What happened to Audrie is being compared to the notorious rape case in Steubenville, Ohio, when disturbing images of a drunken teenage victim were posted on social media. Two high school football stars were found guilty last month of sexual assault.   

In this latest case, three 16-year-old youths have been charged with sexually assaulting Audrie.
 
"They did unimaginable things to her," says her family attorney, "The despicable, horrific, traumatic, defaming, and savage actions they did and the next seven days broke her."

Audrie posted a haunting final message on her Facebook page after she was assaulted.

She posted, "these guys did ____ to me while I was sleeping. Now my life is like, ruined. The whole school knows...this is the worst day of my life."

Then the pretty teenager hanged herself.

Her mother said, "Audrie saw people huddled around cell phones, looking at pictures at school. Most of the football team knew, and in her opinion, the whole school was talking about it.

Audrie is the second teenager who took part in President Obama’s Inauguration to die tragically.  

15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was shot dead just a week after singing at the inauguration - an innocent victim of gang violence.

Now, another talented young student has been tragically lost.

Her mother said, "If this can happen to my daughter, it can happen to anyone."