Snapchat 'not doing enough' as sister of murdered Breck Bednar is tormented online
Video report by ITV News Correspondent Rebecca Barry
Social media app Snapchat is not doing enough to tackle online abuse, say the family of murdered teenager Breck Bednar, who believe they're being tormented by his killer from jail.
Breck's 17-year-old sister Chloe Brednar has told ITV News she's been receiving disturbing messages about her brother via the social media app which have left her "horrified and shocked".
14-year-old Breck was killed five years ago after being groomed online by Lewis Danes, who persuaded him to visit his flat, where he brutally murdered Breck.
Messages his sister received include phrases like "shame Breck is dead, he was sexy," "if he was alive I'd be all over him" and she was even sent a picture of a skeleton with the caption "RIP Breck".
Of the messages, Chloe said: "I had no idea who this person was and they sent me pictures of Breck and pictures of skeletons and I was completely in a state of shock, I was crying and pretty much screaming at school."
The family contacted the police but were told it would take months for Snapchat to provide the information to help track down the culprit.
Breck's mother Lorin Lafave told ITV News: "It's unconscionable that we would allow criminality on platforms where we obviously know all of our young people are spending time."
She added: "It's a social responsibility, they hold the skills, the technology, to be able to help police catch people who are trying to do children harm."
Lewis Danes, who was 19 at the time, is now serving a life sentence for murder, but even from prison the family believe he's still tormenting them.
Ms Lafave has described the ordeal as a "twisting of the knife".
"I mean we're trying so hard to be back to normal and just to have it thrown up in our faces like this, and to not feel like we're getting co operation from the police and Snapchat working together, it hurts," she told ITV News, adding: "I don't need anymore distress."
On Wednesday the issue was even raised in the House of Commons with the PM vowing to take action, saying "we want social media companies to recognise the responsibility they have".
Snapchat insists they work hard to be as helpful as they can with criminal investigations, but Breck's family say it's not enough.
Breck's sister Chloe said: "It's just making me want to go into hiding and I don't want to have to do that.
"I just want to live a normal life and not be scared that if I put something on the internet I will get harassed for it."