Chapter 3 - Tyler’s Sister
Megan came with attorney and mother.
She was crying before interview began.
“I didn’t send the envelope.”
“Did you take the picture?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought Tyler was being stupid.”
Not violent?
“At first.”
Megan had seen Tyler and Jason torment Emma for months.
Stealing snacks.
Hiding shoes.
Calling her “baby.”
Emma was seven.
Why were teenagers bullying a seven-year-old?
That was the first question nobody had asked properly.
They lived in same neighborhood.
Emma’s school and boys’ middle school shared recreation complex.
Tyler’s mother volunteered there.
Jason’s father coached youth baseball.
The boys saw Emma often.
Megan said Tyler targeted her after one incident.
“What incident?”
Emma told a teacher Tyler had stolen money from fundraiser box.
Tyler was suspended from volunteer program.
He blamed Emma.
Then Jason joined.
Sarah felt nauseated.
Her daughter had said boys were “mean sometimes.”
Sarah had thought older kids being rude.
Why didn’t Emma tell her more?
Megan answered:
“Tyler told her if she told you, he’d make you lose your job.”
Sarah stared.
“How?”
“He said his mom knew your boss.”
Tyler’s mother, Allison Brooks, worked in HR at Sarah’s hospital.
Not Sarah’s direct supervisor.
Still enough to frighten a child.
Then Megan admitted she secretly recorded several bullying incidents.
Why?
“To scare Tyler into stopping.”
Did it work?
No.
Where recordings?
Deleted.
Tyler found them.
Then Megan said something important.
“Not all of them.”
One video auto-backed up to family cloud.
Police obtained warrant.
Footage showed Tyler and Jason cornering Emma near recreation center.
Tyler:
“Tell anyone again and your mom gets fired.”
Jason laughed.
Then Tyler pushed Emma’s backpack into mud.
Powerful evidence of prior bullying.
But not murder intent.
Then investigators asked Megan about dock.
She went quiet.
“I wasn’t there.”
“Did Tyler say anything after?”
“Yes.”
What?
“He said she slipped.”
That contradicted witnesses.
Then:
“Later he said Jason pushed harder than he meant.”
Another contradiction.
But still envelope remained unopened pending forensic review.
Sarah was told inner packet contained something metallic.
Possibly USB drive.
Could be.
Then Tyler’s attorney moved to suppress newly discovered material from sentencing phase until authentication.
Normal litigation.
Sarah hated procedure but understood.
Then Megan asked to speak privately.
“Mrs. Miller?”
Sarah turned.
“I think I know who sent the envelope.”
“Who?”
Megan whispered:
“My dad.”
Tyler’s father, Andrew Brooks.
Sarah frowned.
Why would a father secretly send evidence against his own son?
May you like
Megan looked toward courtroom doors.
“Because he knows Tyler didn’t tell the worst part.”
