You’re a mom on a mission. After your daughter’s murder, her crime scene photos went viral online. Strangers still send them to you. The images haunt you, yet sharing them was legal. You couldn’t let that be. So you fought to change the law in her name, sparking a movement to ban graphic content. It hurt like hell, but you did it to honor your baby girl. Now “Bianca’s Law” makes it illegal in New York to spread those photos that re-traumatize you daily. You stood up to stop that from happening to other grieving parents. Because even through unimaginable pain, a mom’s love can create real change.
The Tragic Murder of Bianca Devins
When Kim Devins’ 17-year-old daughter Bianca was brutally murdered in 2019, her grief was compounded by the knowledge that graphic photos of the crime scene were spreading across social media. Brandon Clark, a friend of Bianca’s, killed her in a jealous rage and posted photos of her body on Discord and Instagram.
The photos go viral
Within hours, the gruesome images had gone viral. “The pictures were everywhere,” Devins said. “On Instagram, Twitter, Reddit. I couldn’t escape them.” Strangers even sent the photos directly to Devins and her family.
Fighting for change
Devins was determined to prevent other families from enduring this trauma. She launched a campaign to outlaw the sharing of graphic crime scene photos, working with New York legislators on a bill to make it a felony. “Bianca can’t be brought back, but we have to make sure this doesn’t happen to other people,” Devins said.
Bianca’s Law
In 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law. Known as “Bianca’s Law,” it makes sharing graphic crime scene images without permission a class E felony, punishable by up to four years in prison.
“It was a bittersweet moment,” Devins said of the bill’s passage. “I wish it wasn’t necessary, but it will help protect victims and their families. Bianca’s death has been so painful, but being able to create change from such a tragedy gives me a sense of purpose. I know she would be proud of the work we’ve done in her name.”
The fight continues
Though Bianca’s Law is a victory, Devins knows the battle isn’t over. The photos of Bianca still sometimes resurface online, and more work is needed to prevent similar tragedies. But Devins remains determined to turn her loss into action. “I can’t let that picture be online and have Bianca remembered that way,” she said. “Her memory deserves so much more.”
The Viral Spread of the Crime Scene Photos
The photos of Bianca’s mutilated body spread like wildfire on social media within hours of her death. The graphic images were shared on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and 4chan, quickly going viral.
Lack of Control
Once those initial photos were posted, there was no stopping their spread. The images spread to accounts and users far beyond the control of police and Bianca’s family. Total strangers gawked at the gruesome pictures, often making cruel comments and jokes. For Bianca’s loved ones, it was a nightmare. ###Constant Reminders of Trauma
For Kim Devins, the constant resurfacing of the images means reliving the trauma of her daughter’s death over and over. Even years later, the photos still sometimes emerge on social media, dragging Kim back to that awful day. As Kim told Fox News, “I just got a message yesterday. It wasn’t a picture of Bianca, but someone recreated the death photo with a Lego person and then sent me a nasty message about her.”
Cases like Bianca’s show how easily unauthorized crime scene photos can spread online and how much additional pain they can cause victims’ families. ###Taking Action Against Unauthorized Sharing
To prevent other families from enduring the same anguish, Kim Devins worked to enact “Bianca’s Law” in New York. The law makes it a felony to share unauthorized photos from crime scenes. Thanks to Kim’s efforts, if a similar situation were to happen today, the spread of graphic images could be limited, and legal consequences brought against those who share them. While the law can’t undo the damage in Bianca’s case, it stands as a tribute to her memory and gives hope that other families might avoid the same suffering.
The Continued Harassment of Bianca’s Mother
Even after Bianca’s Law was passed, Kimberly Devins still deals with hurtful messages and images related to her daughter’s death.
As if losing a child isn’t painful enough, Kimberly has had to endure continued exploitation and humiliation.
Some people seem to lack basic human decency. Kimberly shared that just recently, someone sent her a disturbing Lego recreation of the graphic photo of Bianca’s death, along with a nasty message. Despite the new law, the image still circulates online, popping up when she least expects it.
The trauma lives on. Bianca’s friends were among the first to find out about her death by stumbling upon the gruesome photos on social media. The images spread like wildfire before authorities even had a chance to contact the family. Such a horrific way to discover the loss of a loved one.
There is still more work to be done. While Bianca’s Law makes sharing graphic crime scene images illegal in New York, the internet has no geographic boundaries. Big tech companies must take more responsibility to prevent the spread of such exploitative content, and laws need to be passed in more states and at the federal level.
Until then, all any of us can do is support victims and their loved ones, report offending posts, and spread compassion. My heart goes out to Kimberly Devins and all those who have lost loved ones to violence. May they in time find more peace and less pain. And may the memory of Bianca live on, not through the circulation of a traumatic image, but through the love of friends and family and the acts of kindness done in her name.
Kim’s Fight to Pass Bianca’s Law in New York
The Painful Reminders
Kim Devins still regularly receives distressing messages containing graphic images of her daughter Bianca’s murder. Nearly three years after Bianca was killed by a man she met on Instagram, Kim told Fox News that “it still does happen. It will suddenly pop up that the photo is posted somewhere.” As a grieving mother, Kim was determined to prevent other families from experiencing similar torment by images of their loved ones’ deaths spreading online.
Campaigning for Change
In the wake of her daughter’s tragic death, Kim began campaigning for new legislation to outlaw sharing graphic crime scene photos in New York. She fought tirelessly to pass “Bianca’s Law,” named in her daughter’s honor. After an emotional two-year effort, Kim’s goal was finally realized in 2022 when Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law.
An Important Victory
The passage of Bianca’s Law was a bittersweet victory for Kim. While the new legislation cannot undo the harm that has been done, it can help prevent future grieving families from suffering as she has. Kim told Fox News “we can’t let that picture be online. We have to do something – and we did.” Thanks to Kim’s determination and advocacy, New York has taken an important step toward curbing abusive behavior on social media and protecting victims’ dignity.
Continuing the Fight
Though Bianca’s Law was a hard-won triumph, Kim’s fight is not over. She continues to advocate for similar laws in other states and at the federal level. Kim also works to hold tech companies accountable for moderating graphic content, and to educate people about online harassment and abuse. Her goal is to make the internet a safer place and prevent other families from experiencing the anguish she has endured. Through her tireless campaigning for change, Kim is effecting real and meaningful reforms in her daughter’s name.
What Bianca’s Law Means for Families of Crime Victims
Protection from Further Victimization
Bianca’s Law makes it illegal to share graphic images of crime victims without consent. For families like the Devins, this means protection from the anguish of stumbling upon traumatic photos of their loved one’s death on social media or elsewhere online. No longer will the Devins have to receive cruel messages from strangers with manipulated images of Bianca’s murder.
Ability to Pursue Legal Action
Not only does the law create criminal penalties for sharing these images, but it also allows families to pursue civil lawsuits. If the Devins discover Bianca’s photos being circulated, they now have the right to take legal action against those responsible. While the damage can never be undone, families can at least work to remove the images and hold accountable those who continue to victimize them.
Honoring the Memory of Loved Ones
For Kim Devins, Bianca’s Law is a way to honor her daughter’s memory. She has worked tirelessly to advocate for this legislation so that no other family in New York has to suffer the anguish of seeing a loved one’s tragic death shared across the internet. The law allows families to grieve privately without the constant reminder of disturbing images that can never be unseen. Bianca’s Law protects the dignity of victims and allows their memory to live on untarnished.
While the pain of loss may never fully heal, Bianca’s Law provides some comfort knowing that families of crime victims in New York will be shielded from further trauma. No longer will disturbing images be able to spread virally, inflicting harm on those closest to the victim. For the Devins and families like them, Bianca’s Law is a light in the darkness—a reminder that some good can still come even from immense tragedy.
Conclusion
So the next time you come across an image that depicts graphic violence or criminal activity, consider the harm it may cause to the victims and their families before hitting send or share. While the internet provides a platform for free speech, our words and actions impact others, even from behind a screen. By choosing compassion over carelessness, we can create a kinder online space that brings out the best in humanity. After all, one small act of thoughtfulness could save someone from reliving their worst nightmare over and over again.
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