Lawyer: Woman's life wrecked by Web case

NEW YORK, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The attorney for a Missouri woman blamed for hounding a teenage neighbor to suicide said Tuesday his client's life had been ruined for something she did not do.

Jim Briscoe, appearing on NBC's "Today" show, said Lori Drew has had to close her advertising business while her daughter has dropped out of school, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Megan Meier, a sometime friend of Drew's daughter, killed herself last year after receiving an online message suggesting the world would be better off without her. The message was sent by "Josh Evans," who proved to be fictitious and allegedly concocted by Drew, her daughter and a friend, Ashley Grills.

Grills has acknowledged getting into a "heated exchange" with Megan as "Josh Evans."

Megan's parents also appeared on "Today." Ron Meier said he still believes that Drew "instigated" the hounding of his daughter.