Amanda Todd's mother speaks out about her daughter's image used in Suicide Squad internet meme

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      A fake poster for the movie Suicide Squad is being circulated on the Internet featuring images of celebrities who killed themselves—along with Port Coquitlam teenager Amanda Todd.

      The 15-year-old British Columbian youth committed suicide in October 2012 after she experienced intense cyberbullying and said she was blackmailed by an online predator.

      While the blockbuster action flick is about a team of powerful criminals assembled to serve the United States government on high-risk missions, the mock poster includes photos of Robin Williams, Kurt Cobain, and Adolph Hitler, as well as Amanda Todd.

      Amanda's mother, Carol Todd, has spoken out against the image in order to raise awareness about the issues involved.

      "We're never going to get...gun control in the United States, and all those other issues that are around the world, if we don't talk about them, if we don't build awareness and we don't build understanding," she told press. "That's why I can't not say anything."

      She said that the images make fun of her daughter's death and encourage a lack of understanding of issues involved in suicide.

      "It's just contradictory to the message that we're sending," she said. "If you have mental illness and you are feeling that you're not supported—and you need help—to go and ask for help."

      She is also encouraging parents to talk with children about the use of jokes or inappropriate casual references about suicide.

      Meanwhile, Aydin Coban, the man accused of blackmailing Amanda Todd after she exposed her breasts online, may be extradited to Canada from the Netherlands to face charges here.

      However, Coban must first face 72 charges in Dutch courts that are unrelated to the Todd case. The charges include blackmail and the creation and distribution of child pornography. That trial will begin in the Netherlands in 2017.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig or on Facebook.

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