Michelle Carter: Parents Defend Massachusetts Teen Who Encouraged Her Peer To Commit Suicide

In the latest development in the ongoing case of Michelle Carter, the Massachusetts teenager who encouraged her peer, Roy Conrad III, to commit suicide, the young woman’s parents are now speaking out, claiming their daughter is not the murderer that the media is trying to make her out to be, The Plainfield Sun Chronicle is reporting.

Family attorney Joseph Cataldo issued a statement on behalf of Michelle’s parents, claiming that Ms. Carter’s true nature as a caring, loving young lady will be revealed as the criminal case against her plays out.

“Our hearts have and remain broken for the Roy family. For everyone that does not know our daughter, she is not the villain the media is portraying her to be. She is a quiet, kind, and sympathetic young girl. She tried immensely to help Mr. Roy in his battle with depression. We know that once all of the facts are released, our daughter will be found innocent.”

On July 13, 2014, according to this Inquisitr report, Conrad Roy III committed suicide in his truck in the parking lot of a Fairfield, Massachusetts K-Mart. Investigators later found that Conrad and Michelle had exchanged some 1,000 texts, some of which encouraged him to commit suicide. At one point, Conrad said that he was scared and didn’t want to go through with it, but Michelle allegedly encouraged him to get back in the truck.

After his death, Michelle posted on social media how saddened she was by the death of her “friend,” and even did charity work in his name, raising money for suicide prevention.

She’s been charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to The Boston Herald, and faces 20 years in prison.

Since news of the story broke, details about Michelle Carter’s history and character have emerged through interviews with her friends and peers. The investigation has painted a picture of an affable, if somewhat attention-seeking, young lady.

For example: Fairhaven Detective Scott R. Gordon said in a police report that he interviewed a friend of Conrad who claimed that Michelle Carter basically took over his “Homers for Conrad” softball fundraiser that he was organizing, believing she just wanted the attention.

“He further explained that (Carter) was getting so involved in it, and he was just curious about how she knew Conrad, and Michelle said that they had been dating on and off for 2 years and (he) said at that point that he had never heard of her, so he didn’t know exactly if that was true or not.”

As of this post, Conrad Roy’s parents have not commented publicly on Michelle Cater’s alleged role in their son’s death.

[Images courtesy of: The Sun Chronicle]