Children who suffer traumatic events are often affected psychologically, but with proper acknowledgment and the right help, they become normal functioning adults. However, some can not cope with the traumas they experienced growing. These develop into psychological issues that manifest in different ways. One example is the case of Hiccup Girl.
Jennifer Mee was known as the “Hiccup Girl” when she developed an uncontrollable case of hiccups. She hiccuped 50 times per minute. In an unrelated case, Mee was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
The Hiccup Girl
Jennifer Ann Mee was born on July 28, 1991, in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was the eldest of five sisters. At an early age, Mee’s parents separated, causing her to develop issues of abandonment and insecurities. This was further developed since her mother was always at work just to make ends meet.
Mee was raped and molested, causing her to feel more abandoned and alone. Mee developed low self-esteem that caused her to seek attention from men in the wrong ways. She then dabbled and sold drugs, and to keep up with her lifestyle, she turned to exchanging sex for money.
In 2007, Mee started to get uncontrollable bouts of hiccups. She felt deep pains in her chest and started hiccuping non-stop for three weeks. Mee started to look for help on social media, and soon a newspaper picked up her story. Her story became viral, gaining the attention she sought out for her entire life.
Various morning shows booked her as a media curiosity, and her bouts of hiccups were even compared to the world record for sneezing. There were several theories on the cause of her hiccups, from Tourette’s Syndrome, depression, and even a subconscious desire to be wanted.
Her five weeks of fame mellowed out as her hiccups also disappeared when she was given medication usually prescribed to people with Tourette’s Syndrome. She returned to her old life, committing the same crimes before her fame. She also started dating an aspiring rapper, Lamont Newton. (Source: JMeeFree)
The Crime That Landed Jennifer Mee A Life Sentence
Mee thought of a plan to find robbery victims online and set them up to make money. She then set up her crew consisting of Newton and another friend, Laron Raiford. In 2010, Mee met Shannon Griffin online, a 22-year-old man. She arranged for Griffin to buy marijuana from Newton and Raiford. (Source: People Pill)
On October 23, 2010, Mee lured Griffin to an abandoned home to meet Newton and Raiford. The two decided to rob Griffin instead, but when Griffin fought back, the men shot him several times, killing him. Mee wasn’t at the crime scene as she was on the road acting as a lookout. When she heard the gunshots, she got scared and ran away. (Source: JMeeFree)
The following day, all three were arrested. Despite having reported that she wasn’t at the crime scene, investigators found Mee’s DNA in Griffin’s shirt. John Trevena, Mee’s lawyer, offered to have Mee guilty in exchange for a fifteen-year sentence but was not accepted.
Trevena also tried arguing that Mee had schizophrenia. The judge ordered a psychological test and found Mee was competent to stand trial. In 2013, Mee was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. (Source: People Pill)