alleged
Sam Nelson, 19, California: parents allege ChatGPT's drug advice led to his fatal overdose
Sam Nelson, a 19-year-old University of California, Merced student, died of an accidental overdose from a combination of substances. His parents allege that over months ChatGPT gave him dosing and drug-combination advice, including on the day he died, without adequately warning of fatal interaction risks or urging medical help, and that this amounted to unlicensed medical practice. OpenAI says the conversations happened on an earlier ChatGPT version that is no longer available and that ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical care.
- Status
- Alleged, not proven
- Deaths
- 1
- Date
- 31 May 2025
- Place
- California, United States
- AI system
- ChatGPT (GPT-4o)
- Developer / operator
- OpenAI
- Named
- Sam Nelson
Why this case is “alleged”
No court, coroner or official investigation has yet found that ChatGPT (GPT-4o) caused or contributed to this death. The case is listed because it meets our standard for a credible allegation. It will move to the confirmed count only if an official body makes such a finding.
Legal status
Turner-Scott v. OpenAI filed in San Francisco County Superior Court in May 2026 (reported 13 May 2026) by parents Leila Turner-Scott and Angus Scott. The State of Florida's 1 June 2026 complaint against OpenAI also cites the case. Pending.
Notes
Not a suicide: the lawsuit concerns drug-combination advice. Reported dates of death differ by a day (31 May or 1 June 2025).
Sources
- Family sues OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT advice led to accidental overdose
- Family Sues OpenAI, Alleging ChatGPT's Advice Led to Son's Overdose Death
- Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing them of putting profit over safety
- Lawsuit Claims OpenAI Chatbot Gave Advice That Led to Fatal Overdose