I’m really upset about something. I’m a widow, and I just found an article about my husband’s murder case. What really bothers me is that it not only includes my full name but also my infant daughter’s name. This is a pending case, so I’m concerned about our safety.
Is it even legal for them to print names of victims’ families who aren’t offenders? I’m not sure if there’s anything I can do since the article is old now and the damage is done. Advice or insight will be really appreciated.
I’m really sorry to hear about your loss. Which country, state, or province are you in?
In a lot of places, the police and newspapers usually don’t name minors involved in crimes, whether they’re suspects or victims. But your name and your marriage to your husband aren’t considered private info that a newspaper needs your permission to publish. Unfortunately, murders are often seen as public interest, so they can report on them.
This is legal in every state. Try calling the editor and asking them to take it down from the website and to stop mentioning you and your daughter in the future. It’s really up to them, but if they understand how it affects you, they might decide to avoid it. People react differently—some might even feel offended if they’re not named. It’s a big deal when a violent crime leaves loved ones behind, and newspapers usually lean toward sharing that info. But a lot of them do have rules about not naming minor victims. You can definitely let them know that it hurts you when your names are mentioned.I’m really sorry for your loss.
Different countries might have different laws, but in the US, publishing the truth is a solid defense. They can’t get sued for sharing something that’s actually true.
Not a lawyer, but I’ve seen that some newspapers have a policy where people can ask to have their names removed from online articles for different reasons. This seems like a good reason to request that. I’d suggest sending an email explaining your concerns and asking if they could take your names down.
That’s kinda unusual. How old is your daughter, and what was the reason they mentioned her name?
It’s not typical for American newspapers to report something like, “Police have arrested John Smith for murder. He was married to Joan Smith and had three kids: Betsy (age 12), Bobby (age 8), and Julia (age 4).”
Was it something like that, or was there more context to why they included your child’s name?
