Mother of Olentangy High student who pushed for sextortion bill hopes it saves lives

Editor’s Note: This issue discusses suicide and sexual assault. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 988.

Jennifer Markus spent much of Wednesday watching the Ohio Channel as a bill to decriminalize “exploitation” among lawmakers.

She’s a pediatric nurse at Nationwide Children’s Hospital where colleagues offered comfort after her son Braden Markus took his own life three years ago when someone posing as a high school girl on social media asked her for intimate photos and demanded $1,800 to keep them. t has been published.

At first he refused. But within 30 minutes, the boy who loved sports and fireworks and Japanese food, who was about to get his driver’s license, was gone.

“It’s nice,” Mrs. Markus told the Dispatch Thursday. “Holy crap. My friends and a lot of people just did this,” he said in his initial reaction to a group of lawmakers, lawyers and supporters.

Braden’s October 17, 2021 shooting death shook his family and the Olentangy High School community where the days leading up to his death were joyful.

“Your feelings were all over the place. What have we as parents missed? If we miss something, then the whole world has missed something… it has been a constant backstabbing,” said Mrs. Markus.

Worse, it took them 10 months to learn why her son died, how a stranger had taken her phone – and her innocence – for money. The 15-year-old boy was the victim of what the FBI calls the nation’s fastest-growing crime: Sextortion.

The law, House Bill 531, once signed into law, makes sexual assault a third-degree felony, with harsher penalties if the victims are minors. It also gives parents instant access to digital content.

The law may act as a deterrent because finding the perpetrators remains a challenge, as with any online scam, officials said.

“I hope something stops you,” said Mrs. Markus. “Knowing that this law exists, they will stop playing for our children.”

He equates crime with murder and uses language not printed in the newspaper to describe his son’s attacker.

“Actually, I tell people that a criminal entered my house through my son’s phone and killed my child. It is disgusting what they can do to our children,” he said.

Her best friend, Rachel Winder, director of government relations at Benesch Law, helped guide lawmakers.

“It won’t directly affect Braden’s case, but it does get the word out,” Winder said, explaining that she speaks to classes about sexual harassment and many don’t know what it is.

This Christmas will be the fourth for this family without Braden. Her sister Ella, 15, is having trouble as expected.

“It’s a challenge,” said Mrs. Marcus. “But we try to do things that Braden likes…. House of Japan, anything with fireworks, visiting cousins, Top Golf.”

And she advises other parents: “Make sure your kids come up to you and talk. I would always say the words ‘Don’t do anything stupid on the phone … so people can see it.’ “

In a Facebook post he shared his victory and encouraged others to do the same “YES you all can share so that parents know about this horrible crime affecting our children, but know that there will be lawsuits if they don’t stop!”

dnarciso@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared in The Columbus Dispatch: Passage of Sextortion bill is fun for Braden Marcus’ mother.