Postings on Facebook can be a source of information for spouses following separation, but the Voelkerts of Indiana have taken the practice too far.

Angela Voelkert decided to post a fake profile of a teen, "Jessica", to "friend" her ex-husband David and try to dig up some dirt on him. Angela may have gotten more than she bargained for when David told Jessica that he planned to bump off Angela, and he solicited Jessica's help in finding someone to do the dirty work for him. David also told Jessica that he had attached a tracking device to Angela's car, so he could find her when the time came to carry out the deed, after which he and 17 year old Jessica could run off together.

Mr. Voelkert was arrested by authorities and charged. Charges were dropped after he produced an affidavit, sworn by him before he began communicating with fake Jessica, in which he said that he suspected Jessica was really his wife and he wanted to expose her efforts to cause trouble for him.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect is that the duplicitous David and Angela are parents and their behaviour occurred in the context of an ongoing child custody dispute. It's likely that the judge in the custody dispute will not be impressed by the conduct of either of them, although it's a toss-up as to which parent's behaviour is most deserving of rebuke.

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