By GAGE WILSON
for Glasgow News 1
From online threats to real-world consequences, Caverna Independent Schools took a hard look at the dangers of social media during a special presentation on March 31.
Retired detective Michael Lemon led the discussion, breaking down issues like fake accounts and sextortion while offering guidance on staying safe in a digital world. Parents, students, and concerned residents gathered at the Cave Area Conference Center for the free event.
Despite the gray, chilly spring day, the 5 p.m. presentation drew a large crowd, many of whom were personally affected by the recent death of Caverna sophomore Elijah Heacock.
Michael Lemon talked to attendees about trends among predators that he had noticed in his time with law enforcement. Gage Wilson/for Glasgow News 1
Lemon took the stage and explained that as a father of five, he shares many of the same concerns as local parents. His 45-minute talk addressed warning signs of exploitation, as well as steps families can take to monitor their children’s online activity, particularly on social media.
“Snapchat’s original name was ‘Picaboo’ and was designed for sharing nude photographs,” Lemon told the audience. “Snapchat hasn’t changed — they’ve just added features to it.”
Lemon also detailed the different types of online predators, defining two distinct categories: “old-school” predators and financial predators.
The former, he explained, will spend months building trust with a young person, using positive reinforcement to gain their confidence before escalating their actions. This group targets both males and females equally and often operates within secretive online circles that exchange illicit images. The latter group — financial predators — has become a more recent and rapidly growing issue. They overwhelmingly target young men, using artificial intelligence and Photoshop to manipulate images, then threaten victims into sending money. Lemon described how these schemes can quickly spiral out of control. Once a payment is made, the demands continue to increase, trapping victims in an ongoing cycle of extortion.
Elijah Heacock was a target of extortion.
Lemon shared several strategies to help families protect children from these dangers. One of the most effective measures is making social media accounts private, as predators often use public information to research their targets. He also advised parents to prevent their children from taking phones to bed at night, as many exploitative interactions happen during late hours when supervision is minimal. Another recommendation was creating a “family contract,” a set of agreed-upon expectations about online behavior that helps keep both parents and children accountable.
State Rep. Steve Riley spoke on the measures the government is taking to combat online exploitation. These measures come with stricter sentencing for the predators and more accountability to bodies responsible for the safety of children. Gage Wilson/for Glasgow News 1
State Representative Steve Riley also spoke at the event, discussing ongoing legislative efforts to combat online extortion. He highlighted Senate Bill 73, a bipartisan measure aimed at increasing penalties for those involved in sextortion. The bill’s passage is intended to deter future crimes and strengthen protections for minors.
Shannon Heacock, whose son died only a month ago, stands before attendees to tell her story and pleads for parents to learn from her tragedy. Gage Wilson/for Glasgow News 1
The night’s most emotional moment came when Shannon Heacock took the stage to share her son Elijah’s story. Through tears, she recounted the evening before his death.
“After an evening of preparing for a pep-club event, we called it a night,” she said. “About 45 minutes later, his sister woke us up saying that Eli was hurt. I don’t remember much of that night, but I do remember trying to pull blood out of my son’s mouth.”
Through choked sobs, she described her conversations with medical staff and law enforcement as they revealed what had led to Elijah’s suicide.
“I can’t even say it,” she said. “It was sextortion.”
Days later, she received a phone call from South Carolina informing her that Elijah was the 24th victim of this type of crime in the past two years.
“He has a number — 24,” she said. “And two days later, a young man in Michigan became number 25. His mother and I now talk every day.”
Determined to prevent other families from experiencing the same pain, Shannon urged parents to have open conversations with their children. She stressed that her son was not withdrawn or struggling with depression, but rather an engaged, well-loved teenager who fell victim to online manipulation.
“I’m not going to see another parent endure what I’ve had to endure,” she said. “Eli wasn’t sad. Eli didn’t come from a family that ignored him. We still love him. Just talk to your kids. It’s out there — these people are attacking our children left and right.”
The two-hour event ended with people filing out into the still gray evening, somber, but galvanized to help end this scourge and save another family the pain of a life cut short.
