The father of a Starkville teen who recently took his own life is speaking out on the dangers of youth in possession of cellphones or smart devices when alone.
On December 1, 2022, 16-year-old Walker Montgomery, a Starkville Academy student, committed suicide after having been manipulated by a scammer posing as a young female, also known as sextortion.
During an interview on America’s Newsroom, Brian Montgomery, Walker’s father, warned that there are dangerous individuals, such as predators seeking to exploit vulnerable youth for monetary gain, in existence throughout various social media platforms.
“I want people to understand the evil that is out there in the world that is after our kids,” Montgomery said.
As a parent grieving the loss of one near and dear to his heart, Montgomery is calling on other parents to be more watchful of their children, especially ones who have access to smart devices such as cell phones, tablets, and computers.
“Don’t allow your children, by themselves, in a bedroom, in a bathroom, or anywhere with these phones without supervision, because they are not capable of understanding the dangers on the other side of it,” Montgomery continued. “That’s something that I’m going to have to live with as a regret, because Walker had a cell phone in his room by himself.”
Montgomery would also like to see technology companies and federal agencies crack down on scammers and prohibit their ability to take advantage of others — especially children.
