In 2006, Carly Ryan thought that she had met her dream boyfriend online; his name was Brandon Kane, he was an 18-year-old musician, and he thought that Carly was “hot”.
"She was like a giddy teenager in love - really happy, really light and really excited,” her mother said later.
Carly spoke to Brandon for 18 months, chatting to him online and via phone calls.
But Brandon Kane wasn’t real.
Love ♡ always Miss you everyday #loveyoumore #foreverandever #teamcarly #nevergiveup > >
Posted by [The Carly Ryan Foundation Inc.](https://www.facebook.com/TheCarlyRyanFoundation/) on [Friday, October 16, 2015](https://www.facebook.com/TheCarlyRyanFoundation/posts/10153722623427235:0)
Carly was, in fact, speaking to Gary Francis Newman, a 50yr old predator and paedophile, who had created the Brandon construct in a desperate bid to win Carly’s love.
When he tried to seduce her in person pretending to be Brandon's father "Shane", she rejected him - leaving him hellbent on revenge.
Using the Brandon construct once again, Gary convinced Carly to meet with him on the 19th February 2007, at a secluded beach. It was there that he attacked her, pushing her face into the sand and suffocating her, before throwing her into the water to drown.
Gary Newman was tracked down by police, who found him at his computer talking to another 14-year-old girl. He was arrested and sentenced to serve a life behind bars.
Thread is officially launched on android! An amazing day in Sydney. Thankyou Google, Kojo & Government of SA www.thethreadapp.com#teamcarly #thethreadapp > >
Posted by [The Carly Ryan Foundation Inc.](https://www.facebook.com/TheCarlyRyanFoundation/) on [Sunday, October 25, 2015](https://www.facebook.com/TheCarlyRyanFoundation/posts/10153738268182235:0)
Now Sonya Ryan, Carly’s mother, has now released an app that will help keep kids safe from online predators - and parents free from worry.
The Thread app has two main functions: first, it gives children a way of discreetly checking in with friends and family at the touch of a button, as well as send a map of where they are or a photo.
It also has an alert function, which immediately calls 000 and alerts the child’s chosen contacts, sending their location, or a message with a photo and their location.
Speaking about Thread, Sonya - who created The Carly Ryan Foundation to promote online safety for children - said that she designed the app with her daughter in mind.
"What could Carly have possibly used?" the bereaved mother said.
"In a dangerous situation, what could she have used to have discreetly told me where she was and that she was in trouble?"
However Sonya added that the app will only work if children want to use it, saying: "It's not something that tracks teenagers all the time - it's something they have to want to use.
"It's using technology to easily connect with the people who love and care about it."
The app is free for Android and iPhone and was created by created by digital specialists KOJO with some funding from the South Australian Government.
Find out more about it here.