FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA9) – The Fairfax County Fire Chief had strong words for anybody who may have cyber-bullied firefighter Nicole Mittendorff.
The 31-year-old’s body was found in Shenandoah National Park after an extensive six-day search.
The medical examiner determined Mittendorff died from suicide by hanging. Officials have said she left a suicide note but have not released details about what was written.
We don’t whether online postings that defamed her had anything to do with why she took her own life. And we don’t know know if she ever saw the horrible things cyber bullies wrote about her. The cyber bullies do claim to be firefighters as they ridicule and sexually harass Mittendorf and other female fighters on the community gossip site Fairfax Underground.
Now, Fire Chief Richard Bowers is addressing the online postings.
“If there is any nexus with any type of bullying, which I have zero tolerance for, in the physical nature of bullying itself, or in a written nature or verbal nature, if you will, of bullying. I will address that. I will eradicate that completely,” said Bowers.
Bowers said the men and women of the Fairfax County Fire Department are great and good people, who are now grieving. He said the focus on the lurid postings detracts from the goal of this week, which is to remember and pay tribute to Nicole. Bowers said the news stories about it have added more pain to Nicole’s family. He declined to take any questions from reporters, but he did say he has a plan.
Bowers said he takes responsibility and will launch an investigation into the online postings after Virginia State Police finish their investigation of Mittendorff’s death.
“If in fact there is anybody responsible for any piece of this, I will hold them accountable. I will fully investigate and take appropriate action,” said Bowers.
Fairfax County Braddock Supervisor John Cook, who also oversees public safety, says the issue needs to be investigated.
“Anything that’s done while somebody is on the clock, or using county computers or anything, obviously, it has a connection with the county. But certainly, there’s already existing laws against sexual harassment or things of this sort,” said Cook.
