FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT

VIRGINIA - Since its launch in 2007, Facebook has grown to be one of the most popular websites in the world. It connects one billion people and acts as a platform for free speech, but that platform can backfire to deadly levels.

It's a parent's worst nightmare: their child getting bullied online leading them to take their own life.

For Brandie Hummel, that nearly became reality for her 15-year-old daughter.

"She said 'there's a Facebook page with your daughter's name and its basically telling her to go hang herself," she said.

A neighbor broke the news to Brandie, leading her to that hateful page with a group of 22 people supporting it by clicking "like."

"She's been through so much already; it was like the last straw. I was shaking I was so mad. There were things on there like 'You should go cut yourself really deep.' Basically the person said 'I made this page so we can drive her to hang herself.'"

After that, Brandie wasted no time and called the police.

Detective Bruce Hedstrom with the Virginia Police Department says cyber bullying cases don't pass through his office very often, but when they do, he says it's handled like any other crime.

Hedstrom confirmed the department is investigating the case and says criminal charges could be filed.

Much to her frustration, this isn't the first time Brandie has dealt with police.

She says the bullying started at Virginia High School where her daughter was punched.

After transferring her to Northland Learning Center, she says she was kicked and punched there.

That assault resulted in three students facing criminal charges.

"She would have people spit in her face, she would have them throw her jacket in the garbage," Brandie said.

For years, she says her daughter would cry herself to sleep, forcing Brandie to enroll her in online schooling.

But just because she was learning at home didn't mean the bullies couldn't find her in cyberspace.

"When you make a page so you can get somebody to kill themselves,that is like completely beyond anything I could ever grasp."

It mirrors another recent case in Canada where Amanda Todd, 15, took to YouTube detailing her history of being bullied.

Throughout the years she drank bleach, cut herself and last month she committed suicide.

Brandie is hoping her daughter's story will light a fire under those who are bullied, encouraging them to have a voice.

"We wanna have like an anti-bullying alliance where kids can turn to us and other parents that I've talked to that have been through this, and they don't have to do it alone. We're not going to let our kids go through this anymore. My daughter's life is not going to be stolen by somebody else."