Iowa: Minor tries to rent hitman to kill child, gets caught on parody site

In a shocking incident that unfolded in the US state of Iowa, a 17-year-old girl was arrested by a police officer for approaching an online site requesting the murder of a seven-year-old child. 

As per media reports, the girl allegedly attempted to hire a hitman to kill the child. 

In order to do that, the girl used a fake website called RentAHitman.com. She was not aware that the online portal was in fact a parody site. 

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The girl provided the child's name and location on the website. This led the website owner to contact the police. 

Later, an undercover officer posing as a hitman contacted the girl, leading to her arrest. She is now facing a felony charge of solicitation to commit murder. 

Due to being a minor, her name has been withheld from making it public. 

RentAHitman.com was originally created by Bob Innes, an IT programmer. The website was initially launched as a humorous way to advertise a computer security company he started with his college friends, as per the KCCI media portal. 

The website's purpose was to highlight the dangers of the Dark and Deep web. The portal's motto was to warn people against engaging in illegal activities online. 

However, the site gained attention from individuals seeking to hire hitmen or become one themselves.

Realising the misuse of the website, Innes began forwarding suspicious requests to the police. This proactive approach led to the arrest of the 17-year-old girl. 

Innes emphasised the importance of educating both adults and children about the risks and dangers of the internet, as there are individuals with malicious intent present online.

According to the company website, “It's common knowledge that the Dark & Deep webs are not safe marketplaces for carrying out nefarious deeds. These sites are often fraught with potential risks, including viruses, and fraud is rampant. There's no guarantee of privacy, and your information could be leaked to less than reputable websites, including law enforcement agencies, and that's no fun!”

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It added, “The good news is that RENT-A-HITMAN is a safe and secure option that's easily accessible on the World Wide Web. We place great importance on maintaining the confidentiality of our clients and ensuring their privacy is protected under HIPPA, the Hitman Information Privacy & Protection Act of 1964.”

In a conversation with the People website, Innes, last year said, "There's a lot of beneficial information that can be shared to tell adults and children that the internet is certainly not a safe place." 

"There are bad people out there," he added.