Cyber-Trolls Vandalize Facebook Page for Isabella Grasso

A Facebook memorial page for  – which had acquired over 5,000 likes earlier this week – has been abandoned by those mourning the Lattingtown teen after the site was plastered with offensive language and over 200 images of pornography and graphic violence.

The site vandalism started Sunday night, six days after a of the 17-year-old Sacred Heart Academy senior.

“Remembering Isabella Grasso” was created Monday, Jan. 10 – the night of Grasso’s death – as a grief outlet for family and friends; but within days, the page had been hijacked by a group of cyber-bullies known as internet trolls, a menacing presence on the internet whose sole purpose is to torment grieving communities.

“Cyber-trolling involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others,” according to the Anti Troll Organization website.

Trolling is a practice that has outraged the community and gained national recognition last year after disturbing images and comments were posted on a Facebook group dedicated to remembering . 

“It’s really disrespectful to not only Isabella, but to her family and friends,” said Charlotte Dearing, a friend of the Grasso’s. “This is a memorial page to write memories about her. Nobody wants to remember her like this. The family is having a hard enough time without people writing disgusting things about Isabella who don't even know her she was very loved by everyone. Facebook needs to put a stop to all this.”

Group members have encouraged fans of the page to unlike the group and report the page to Facebook. Most of the pornographic and violent images have been removed since Wednesday.

"Facebook is highly self-regulating," said Simon Axten, a spokesperson for Facebook. "We provide report links on nearly every page and encourage people to let us know when they see something they think might violate our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. We have a large team of professional investigators who enforce our real name culture and take action on reported content according to our policies."  

Axten said that Facebook provides tools for administrators to manage their page: "These tools allow admins to delete comments and pieces of content they feel aren't adding to the discussion as well as ban individual people from joining a group or liking a Page," he said.

While the administrators for "Remembering Isebella Grasso" are not named on Facebook, friends have asked that the creators use their power to remove the page.

“I just don't get why whoever made the page doesn't delete it. It's ridiculous. I feel horrible for her family,” said Grasso’s friend Alexandra Brunetti.

Friends have since made a private Facebook group, “Remembering Bella Grasso,” for those who wish to respectfully pay tribute to the teen.

Michigan resident Linda Hamilton said that while she did not know Grasso personally, she heard about the vandalism from a friend and was outraged. She tried to reach out to Facebook and started a Cause group, “Stop the Filth on the Remembering Isabella Grasso Page,” which currently has 1,358 members.

“I didn't know her at all,” said Hamilton. “Facebook has not responded at all. It's like they don't care. I left a message on an answering machine but didn't give my name. I've blocked all the 200 plus people that are involved in this so I can't see the garbage, but apparently it's still there.”

The cyber-trolls are believed to use fake names and have no connection to the Grasso family or the community. They are said to be part of a larger Facebook presence, targeting memorial pages at random, according to friends.

While those who knew Grasso are struggling to understand the motives behind these anonymous Facebook users, family members are seeking justice.

“I think its wrong and not fair that no one can find out what their real names are. I think it should be stopped and these people should be arrested,” said Grasso’s cousin, Christopher Murray of Locust Valley. “I think if the FBI cyber crime division got involved they could track the IP address and easily find where they live and they can send local law enforcement to apprehend the criminals and charge them with what ever law they are breaking.”

said that it is not easy for authorities to get involved with cyber crimes.

“The problem with Facebook is that they are not easily accessible to law enforcement,” said a Glen Cove police officer who asked not to be named. “Someone would have to make a complaint that they are being harassed or threatened.”

The department can only get involved if the person being harassed was from Glen Cove, the officer said.

Students at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead – where Grasso was in the midst of her senior year – said that while they are horrified by the desecration of the page, they will not let it taint the memory of their classmate.

“Were all sisters at SHA, and it's really hard losing one,” said Ashley Zambrano, a sophomore at the all-girls Catholic college preparatory school. “And as for the people trolling this memorial page, all we can do is forgive them; but they’re not staining any memories for anybody. No one thinks any different of Bella. I certainly don’t. A woman of heart can never be forgotten.”