An 11-year-old girl who gained online fame with a foul-mouthed rant has been placed under police protection after she became the target of internet bullies.
The girl, Jessi Leonhardt, drew attention to herself with a bile-filled YouTube video after unfounded rumours spread through blogs that she was having an affair with Dahvie Vanity, lead singer of Emo band Blood on the Dance Floor.
"If you can't stop hating ... I'll pop a glock in your mouth and make a brain slushie," she said in the video, which has been viewed on YouTube over 300,000 times.
The video caught the attention of the notorious internet community 4chan, a known haven for "trolls" who take enjoyment in harassing vulnerable targets.
Personal details about Jessi, including her social networking accounts, her home phone number and her address in Florida, were circulated online, leading to harassing phone calls and online vandalism.
The harassment intensified after Jessi and her father posted a follow-up video on YouTube, in which Jessi wept and pleaded with her tormentors.
Her father then proceeded to scream at the camera, saying that if anyone came near his daughter they would "be arrested".
This video has been viewed more than 1.7 million times on YouTube and has spawned numerous parodies and remixes.
Jessi has since been placed under police protection after receiving death threats and a criminal investigation has been launched into the matter.
The girl's mother, Dianne Leondhart, told US website Gawker that the family was so petrified they were sleeping in shifts to keep guard against the bullies.
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