The mother of a B.C. teen who died by suicide after being sexually exploited online has exceeded her crowdfunding goal to travel to the Netherlands for the trial of a Dutch citizen who will eventually be extradited to Canada to face charges in connection with her daughter’s death.
Aydin Coban faces five charges in Canada, including extortion, possession of child pornography, and attempting to lure a child online, related to the 2012 death of 15-year-old Amanda Todd. But he won’t be extradited before a trial on charges of sexual assault and extortion involving 39 other victims is completed in his home country.
The RCMP announced charges against Coban shortly after he was arrested by Dutch authorities in 2014. He has denied all of the allegations against him.
In an open letter from jail released by his lawyer in 2015, he wrote “I am not the so-called tormentor of Miss Amanda Todd” and “the worldwide media and their audience have branded me as the monster behind it.”
Amanda’s mother Carol Todd had not initially planned on attending Coban’s Dutch trial, but says she was compelled to reconsider as his court date draws closer.
“I just felt that I needed to be there to see him, hopefully face-to-face, in a court room to sort of prepare me for what might happen . . . when he gets extradited to Canada,” she told CTV News Channel on Monday. “It’s part of the healing process for me now I’ve come to realize.”
Amanda posted a video to YouTube shortly before her suicide detailing how she had been blackmailed online after exposing her breasts on a webcam. Her widely-shared story sparked a national debate about cyberbullying and the distribution of images online without consent.
While the pain of her daughter’s death remains, Todd says much of the anger she felt towards Coban has dissipated.
“I’m really sad for him and other individuals who feel that they need to do these things to bring pleasure to their own lives,” she said.
While Todd is anxious to see the man accused in her daughter’s death brought to justice, she also hopes her presence in the courtroom will help support the 39 victims and their families as they recount the sort of tragedy she knows all too well.
Todd has not had any contact with any participants in Coban’s Dutch trial.
“My daughter is no longer having to go through the stuff that she went through, but these other victims and their families have to go through it, and have to overcome it for the rest of their lives because trauma just doesn’t disappear,” she said.
“If I could send a message to them it would be I’m coming there not only for myself, but for them, to be a supporter of them.”
The online fundraiser to cover the cost of airfare, accommodations, transportation, meals and other expenses for Todd and her partner to travel to the Netherlands reached its goal of $10,000 on Monday.
Any leftover funds will go to “support other organizations that will benefit young people in need,” according to the crowdfunding page.
Todd says she also plans to set up an endowment fund for a college scholarship in Amanda’s name.
“Knowing how those families and those victims are feeling makes me even more sad,” she said. “Hopefully I will be able to say hello and give a hug to any of them out there.”
