Detectives investigating the 13-year-old’s death think they might find clues in the private messages of prime suspect Stephen Nicholson – but Facebook bosses would not reveal his password.
Officers have been forced to apply to judges in the US for a court order demanding that the American firm hand over the information – a process that could delay their murder probe for months.
Grieving Stacey White, 30, whose daughter was stabbed to death six weeks ago and her body dumped in woodland in Southampton, says the internet giant was denying her justice.
And she said they’ve even turned her daughter’s private Facebook account into a public memorial page without permission.
She told the Daily Mail last night: “In situations like this, Facebook really should just release the information that is needed and I think that is the opinion that everybody has.
“They should give over the account details. Lucy needs justice. It’s so easy for them to do.
“It would certainly give police an idea of what was being said between Lucy and Stephen.
“I will only rest when I have justice for Lucy, but until then I can’t.”
She also slammed the firm for opening up her daughter’s account to the public as a memorial page and added: “People can write ever they like on there.
“They could at least have the decency to stop it from being public – I’ve messaged them about it and they still haven’t changed it back.”
MPs also called on Facebook to help cops solve Lucy’s murder.
Yvette Cooper, who chairs the home affairs select committee, said: “This was an appalling murder, and Lucy McHugh’s family need justice.
“For there to be such long delays and cumbersome international processes for getting crucial information in such a serious case is deeply disturbing.
“It shouldn’t be beyond Facebook and the US and UK governments to come up with a fast legal procedure for the police to get answers when it comes to investigating a child’s murder.”
Nicholson, a 24-year-old care worker, was a lodger in Lucy’s home and was arrested on suspicion of murder and sexual activity with a child by Hampshire Police.
But cops were desperate to access his FB accounts, believing they could hold information crucial to their case.
He refused to reveal his password and was jailed for 14 months on Friday for failing to cooperate with police.
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