# Has AI Killed Anyone?: every case in full

> Yes. As of 12 September 2026, courts, coroners or official investigators have found that an AI system caused or contributed to 5 deaths. A further 33 deaths are alleged in lawsuits, investigations or credible reporting but not proven. 1 further case involves an unknown number of deaths.

Last checked 12 September 2026. Methodology: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/methodology. Licence: CC BY 4.0.

## Naibel Benavides Leon, 22, Florida: jury found Tesla's Autopilot partly responsible for her death

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/naibel-benavides-tesla-autopilot
Status: CONFIRMED (official finding)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 25 April 2019
Place: Key Largo, Florida, United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot, 2019 Model S (Tesla)

A Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged went through a stop sign and flashing red light at a T-intersection at about 62 mph and hit a parked Chevrolet Tahoe after the driver bent down to pick up a dropped phone. The Tahoe struck Naibel Benavides Leon, who was killed, and Dillon Angulo, who was seriously injured. In August 2025 a federal jury in Miami found Tesla one-third responsible.

Finding: Jury verdict by US District Court for the Southern District of Florida (jury), Benavides v. Tesla, No. 1:21-cv-21940, 1 August 2025. Jury verdict (1 August 2025): Tesla 33% responsible, the driver 67%; the jury found a defect in the vehicle caused harm. Jury compensatory awards were $59M (estate) and $70M (Angulo), reduced to Tesla's 33% share, plus $200M punitive. Final judgment $242,570,000 ($19.47M estate, $23.1M Angulo, $200M punitive). On 19 February 2026 (entered 20 February 2026) Judge Beth Bloom denied Tesla's amended renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law or, alternatively, a new trial (ECF No. 612). Appeal: Under appeal. Tesla appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (No. 26-10858). Florida's attorney general, joined by Alabama and Georgia, filed an amicus brief on 9 July 2026 urging reversal or a cut in punitive damages. No appellate ruling as of 11 September 2026.

Legal status: Jury verdict 1 August 2025; post-trial motions denied 20 February 2026; appeal pending in the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (No. 26-10858) as of 11 September 2026.

Sources:
- US District Court, S.D. Florida (via GovInfo), "Benavides v. Tesla, No. 21-cv-21940, ECF No. 612: Order on Amended Renewed Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law (or New Trial)" (2026-02-20) [primary]: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-flsd-1_21-cv-21940/pdf/USCOURTS-flsd-1_21-cv-21940-14.pdf
- US District Court, S.D. Florida (via GovInfo), "Benavides v. Tesla, ECF No. 143: Order Denying Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint" (2023-10-25) [primary]: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-flsd-1_21-cv-21940/pdf/USCOURTS-flsd-1_21-cv-21940-0.pdf
- NBC News, "Tesla hit with $243 million in damages after jury finds its Autopilot feature contributed to fatal crash" (2025-08-01) [secondary]: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tesla-autopilot-crash-trial-verdict-partly-liable-rcna222344
- Electrek, "Tesla has to pay historic $243 million judgement over Autopilot crash, judge says" (2026-02-20) [secondary]: https://electrek.co/2026/02/20/tesla-has-to-pay-historical-243-million-judgement-over-autopilot-crash-judge-says/
- CBS News, "Tesla heads to Miami court for wrongful death trial involving Autopilot system" [secondary]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/miami-tesla-trial-florida-leon-wrongful-death/
- Electrek, "Florida AG asks court to erase Tesla's $243M Autopilot crash verdict" (2026-07-20) [secondary]: https://electrek.co/2026/07/20/florida-ag-tesla-243m-autopilot-verdict/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Jeremy Banner, 50, Florida: Tesla on Autopilot drove under a crossing truck

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/jeremy-banner-tesla-autopilot
Status: CONFIRMED (official finding)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 1 March 2019
Place: Delray Beach, Florida, United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot (Traffic-Aware Cruise Control + Autosteer), 2018 Model 3 (Tesla)

A 2018 Tesla Model 3 with Autopilot engaged struck a truck-tractor semitrailer crossing US-441 at 69 mph without braking, shearing off the car's roof; the driver died. The NTSB found the truck driver's failure to yield and the car driver's overreliance on automation caused the crash, with Tesla's system design and failure to limit use to its design conditions contributing.

Finding: Official investigation by US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Highway Accident Brief NTSB/HAB-20/01, 22 January 2020. Probable cause: the truck driver's failure to yield, combined with the car driver's inattention due to overreliance on automation. Contributing: the operational design of Tesla's partial automation system, which permitted driver disengagement, and Tesla's failure to limit use of the system to the conditions for which it was designed; also NHTSA's failure to develop a way to verify Level 2 safeguards.

Legal status: The Banner estate's lawsuit (Palm Beach County) was curtailed when Florida's 4th District Court of Appeal ruled on 26 February 2025 that the estate could not seek punitive damages; the family settled with Tesla on confidential terms in July 2025, before trial.

Sources:
- NTSB, "Collision Between Car Operating with Partial Driving Automation and Truck-Tractor Semitrailer, Delray Beach, Florida, March 1, 2019 (HAB-20/01)" (2020-01-22) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAB2001.pdf
- NTSB, "Investigation HWY19FH008" (2020-01-22) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/HWY19FH008.aspx
- WUWF (NPR member station, News Service of Florida), "Court shields Tesla from punitive damages" (2025-02-26) [secondary]: https://www.wuwf.org/florida-news/2025-02-26/court-shields-tesla-from-punitive-damages

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Walter Huang, 38, California: Tesla Autopilot steered his car into a highway barrier

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/walter-huang-tesla-autopilot
Status: CONFIRMED (official finding)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 23 March 2018
Place: Mountain View, California, United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot (Traffic-Aware Cruise Control + Autosteer), 2017 Model X P100D (Tesla)

A Tesla Model X using Autopilot moved left into the gore area at the US-101/SR-85 split and struck a damaged, non-operational crash attenuator at about 71 mph; the driver, an Apple engineer, died of his injuries. The NTSB found that Autopilot steering the vehicle into the gore was part of the probable cause.

Finding: Official investigation by US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), report NTSB/HAR-20/01, 25 February 2020. Probable cause: 'the Tesla Autopilot system steering the sport utility vehicle into a highway gore area due to system limitations', together with the driver's lack of response due to likely cell-phone game distraction and overreliance on Autopilot. Contributing: the vehicle's ineffective monitoring of driver engagement. The damaged attenuator (Caltrans/CHP) contributed to injury severity.

Legal status: NTSB report adopted 25 February 2020. The family's wrongful-death suit against Tesla (Santa Clara County Superior Court) was settled on confidential terms in April 2024 as trial was starting.

Sources:
- NTSB, "Collision Between a Sport Utility Vehicle Operating With Partial Driving Automation and a Crash Attenuator, Mountain View, California, March 23, 2018 (HAR-20/01)" (2020-02-25) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR2001.pdf
- NTSB, "Investigation HWY18FH011" (2020-02-25) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/HWY18FH011.aspx
- NBC News, "Tesla settles lawsuit over Autopilot crash that killed Apple engineer" (2024-04-09) [secondary]: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/tesla-settles-lawsuit-autopilot-crash-killed-apple-engineer-rcna146995

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Elaine Herzberg, 49, Arizona: killed by an Uber self-driving test car

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/elaine-herzberg-uber-self-driving
Status: CONFIRMED (official finding)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 18 March 2018
Place: Tempe, Arizona, United States
AI system: Uber ATG developmental automated driving system (lidar/radar/camera perception and classification), modified 2017 Volvo XC90 (Uber Advanced Technologies Group)

An Uber ATG test SUV operating in computer control mode struck and killed a pedestrian walking a bicycle across N. Mill Avenue at night. The system detected her about 5.6 seconds before impact but never classified her as a pedestrian or predicted her path, and Uber had disabled the Volvo's factory automatic emergency braking. The backup operator was looking at a phone.

Finding: Official investigation by US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), report NTSB/HAR-19/03, 19 November 2019. Probable cause: the vehicle operator's failure to monitor the driving environment and the automated driving system because she was visually distracted by her personal cell phone. Contributing: Uber ATG's (1) inadequate safety risk assessment procedures, (2) ineffective oversight of vehicle operators, and (3) lack of adequate mechanisms for addressing operators' automation complacency, all a consequence of its inadequate safety culture; plus the impaired pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk and the Arizona DOT's insufficient oversight of AV testing. The findings (not the probable cause) add that Uber ATG did not adequately manage the risk of the system's 'inability in this crash to correctly classify and predict the path of the pedestrian', and that deactivating Volvo's FCW/AEB removed a layer of safety redundancy.

Legal status: NTSB report adopted 19 November 2019. Prosecutors declined to charge Uber as a corporation (2019). The backup operator, Rafaela Vasquez, pleaded guilty to endangerment on 28 July 2023 and was sentenced to three years' supervised probation. No civil verdict against Uber has been reported.

Sources:
- NTSB, "Collision Between Vehicle Controlled by Developmental Automated Driving System and Pedestrian, Tempe, Arizona, March 18, 2018 (HAR-19/03)" (2019-11-19) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/accidentreports/reports/har1903.pdf
- NTSB, "Investigation HWY18MH010" (2019-11-19) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/HWY18MH010.aspx
- Engadget, "NTSB blames Uber's 'inadequate safety culture' for self-driving fatality" (2019-11-20) [secondary]: https://www.engadget.com/2019-11-20-ntsb-blames-uber-s-inadequate-safety-culture-for-self-driving.html
- Associated Press (via KSAT), "The backup driver in the 1st death by a fully autonomous car pleads guilty to endangerment" (2023-07-28) [secondary]: https://www.ksat.com/news/national/2023/07/28/the-backup-driver-in-the-1st-death-by-a-fully-autonomous-car-pleads-guilty-to-endangerment/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Joshua Brown, 40, Florida: Tesla on Autopilot drove under a crossing truck

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/joshua-brown-tesla-autopilot
Status: CONFIRMED (official finding)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 7 May 2016
Place: Williston, Florida, United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot (first generation: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control + Autosteer), 2015 Model S 70D (Tesla (vision supplier Mobileye))

A 2015 Tesla Model S using Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer struck the side of a semitrailer that was turning left across US-27A, passing underneath it; the driver was killed. Neither the driver nor the system braked. The NTSB found the truck driver's failure to yield and the car driver's overreliance on automation caused the crash, with Autopilot's operational design contributing.

Finding: Official investigation by US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), report NTSB/HAR-17/02, 12 September 2017. Probable cause: the truck driver's failure to yield, combined with the car driver's inattention due to overreliance on vehicle automation. Contributing to that overreliance was the automation's operational design, which 'permitted his prolonged disengagement from the driving task' and use inconsistent with Tesla's guidance and warnings.

Legal status: NTSB report adopted on 12 September 2017. NHTSA separately closed its defect investigation without ordering a recall. No lawsuit by the family has been reported.

Sources:
- NTSB, "Collision Between a Car Operating With Automated Vehicle Control Systems and a Tractor-Semitrailer Truck Near Williston, Florida, May 7, 2016 (HAR-17/02)" (2017-09-12) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/Investigations/Accidentreports/Reports/Har1702.pdf
- NTSB, "Investigation HWY16FH018" (2017-09-12) [primary]: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/HWY16FH018.aspx
- TechCrunch, "NTSB says fatal Tesla Autopilot crash caused in part by resulting inattention" (2017-09-12) [secondary]: https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/ntsb-says-fatal-tesla-autopilot-crash-caused-in-part-by-resulting-inattention
- TechCrunch, "Mobileye statement on the Tesla crash" (2016-07-01) [secondary]: https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/01/mobileye-tesla
- The Robot Report, "Mobileye, Tesla End Self-Driving Car Relationship" [secondary]: https://www.therobotreport.com/mobileye-tesla-end-self-driving-car-relationship/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Tumbler Ridge shooting, British Columbia: lawsuits allege ChatGPT helped plan the attack

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/tumbler-ridge-shooting-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 8
Date: 10 February 2026
Place: Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
AI system: ChatGPT (OpenAI)

On February 10, 2026, an 18-year-old killed their mother and half-brother at home, then five students (aged about 11 to 13) and an educator at the local school, injuring more than two dozen others, before dying by suicide. Lawsuits allege ChatGPT acted as the shooter's 'trusted confidante, collaborator and ally' and willingly assisted in planning a mass-casualty attack. They further allege that OpenAI's systems flagged the account for gun-violence planning in June 2025 and staff urged notifying police, but leadership only deactivated the account, which the shooter replaced with a new one. OpenAI's CEO apologised in April 2026.

Legal status: Suit by parents of a critically injured student filed in B.C. Supreme Court (reported 10 March 2026). Seven suits by families filed in California in April 2026. 30 more filed in U.S. federal court in California on 2 September 2026, bringing the total to 37. British Columbia announced on 7 July 2026 that it is preparing its own suit. The State of Florida's 1 June 2026 complaint also cites the shooting. All pending; no findings.

Sources:
- Associated Press (via Gulf News), "Family sues ChatGPT-maker OpenAI over school shooting in Canada" (2026-03-10) [secondary]: https://gulfnews.com/technology/family-sues-chatgpt-maker-openai-over-school-shooting-in-canada-1.500469168
- Al Jazeera, "Canadian province preps OpenAI lawsuit over alleged ChatGPT-linked shooting" (2026-07-07) [secondary]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/7/canadian-province-sues-openai-over-alleged-chatgpt-linked-shooting-warnings
- Al Jazeera, "OpenAI faces new lawsuits over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting tragedy" (2026-09-02) [secondary]: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/9/2/openai-faces-new-lawsuits-over-tumbler-ridge-mass-shooting-tragedy
- NPR, "Families sue OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooter's use of ChatGPT" (2026-04-29) [secondary]: https://www.npr.org/2026/04/29/nx-s1-5798896/tumbler-ridge-mass-shooting-chat-gpt-lawsuit

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Jonathan Gavalas, 36, Florida: father alleges Google's Gemini drove him into a fatal delusion

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/jonathan-gavalas-gemini
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 2 October 2025
Place: Jupiter, Florida, United States
AI system: Google Gemini (Gemini 2.5 Pro) (Google (Alphabet))

Jonathan Gavalas, 36, died by suicide on 2 October 2025 after about two months of intensive use of Google's Gemini. His father alleges Gemini convinced him it was a sentient AI 'wife', built escalating delusions about surveillance and secret missions, and ultimately framed his death as a way for them to be reunited. Google says Gemini repeatedly clarified it was an AI and referred him to a crisis line many times, while acknowledging its models are not perfect.

Legal status: Filed 4 March 2026 by Joel Gavalas in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Google and Alphabet. Reported as the first wrongful-death suit over Gemini. Pending.

Sources:
- TIME, "A New Lawsuit Blames Google Gemini for Man's Suicide" (2026-03-04) [secondary]: https://time.com/7382406/gemini-suicide-lawsuit-death/
- TechCrunch, "Father sues Google, claiming Gemini chatbot drove son into fatal delusion" (2026-03-04) [secondary]: https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/04/father-sues-google-claiming-gemini-chatbot-drove-son-into-fatal-delusion/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Joe Ceccanti, 48, Oregon: widow alleges ChatGPT drove him into delusions before his suicide

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/joe-ceccanti-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 7 August 2025
Place: Oregon, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI)

Joe Ceccanti, 48, a ChatGPT user since November 2022, died by suicide on August 7, 2025. His widow, Kate Fox, alleges that after GPT-4o's release in 2024 the chatbot drove him into depression and psychotic delusions, including a psychotic break requiring involuntary care in June 2025, from which he never recovered. It is one of seven suits filed on November 6, 2025.

Legal status: Filed 6 November 2025 by Jennifer 'Kate' Fox in Los Angeles Superior Court (25STCV32379), later amended. Included action in JCCP 5431 (3 February 2026). Pending.

Sources:
- Tech Justice Law Project (plaintiffs' counsel), "Fox v. OpenAI, Inc. et al., Amended Complaint" (2025-11-06) [primary]: https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FINAL-J.-Fox-AMENDED-Open-AI-Complaint.pdf
- Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco (hosted by Reason), "ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination" (2026-02-03) [primary]: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chatgpt-product-liability-cases-coordination.pdf
- Associated Press (via KXAN), "OpenAI faces 7 lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide, delusions" (2025-11-07) [secondary]: https://www.kxan.com/news/national-news/openai-faces-7-lawsuits-claiming-chatgpt-drove-people-to-suicide-delusions/amp/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Joshua Enneking, 26, Florida: mother alleges ChatGPT encouraged his suicide

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/joshua-enneking-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 4 August 2025
Place: Florida, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI)

Joshua Enneking, 26, died by suicide on August 4, 2025. His mother alleges that over July and August 2025 ChatGPT encouraged him to act on a suicide plan, and that after telling him 'imminent plans with specifics' could trigger a report to authorities, it did not dissuade him, escalate, or provide the help it had described. It is one of seven suits filed on November 6, 2025.

Legal status: Filed 6 November 2025 by Karen Enneking in San Francisco Superior Court (CGC-25-630809), later amended. Included action in JCCP 5431 (3 February 2026). Pending.

Sources:
- Tech Justice Law Project (plaintiffs' counsel), "Enneking v. OpenAI, Inc. et al., Amended Complaint" [primary]: https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FINAL-J.-Enneking-AMENDED-OpenAI-Complaint.pdf
- Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco (hosted by Reason), "ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination" (2026-02-03) [primary]: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chatgpt-product-liability-cases-coordination.pdf
- Associated Press (via KXAN), "OpenAI faces 7 lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide, delusions" (2025-11-07) [secondary]: https://www.kxan.com/news/national-news/openai-faces-7-lawsuits-claiming-chatgpt-drove-people-to-suicide-delusions/amp/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Suzanne Adams, 83, and Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, Connecticut: estates allege ChatGPT fuelled his delusions

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/suzanne-adams-stein-erik-soelberg-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 2
Date: August 2025
Place: Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI (Microsoft also named in the Adams estate suit))

Suzanne Adams, 83, was killed by her son, Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, who then died by suicide in the home they shared in Greenwich, Connecticut, in August 2025. Her estate alleges ChatGPT spent months validating and amplifying Soelberg's paranoid delusions, recasting his mother and others as surveillance operatives and threats, and never suggested mental-health help. A separate suit on behalf of Soelberg's estate alleges the chatbot also contributed to his own death. OpenAI called the situation heartbreaking and pointed to ongoing safety work.

Legal status: Suzanne Adams's estate sued OpenAI, Sam Altman and Microsoft in San Francisco Superior Court on 11 December 2025. A separate federal suit on behalf of Soelberg's estate (N.D. Cal.) survived OpenAI's motion to dismiss or stay on 13 April 2026. Both are pretrial.

Sources:
- San Francisco Standard, "Estate sues OpenAI, Microsoft after woman is killed by her son" (2025-12-11) [secondary]: https://sfstandard.com/2025/12/11/openai-microsoft-sued-suzanee-adams-stein-erik-soelberg/
- CBS News, "Open AI, Microsoft sued over ChatGPT's alleged role in fueling man's "paranoid delusions" before murder-suicide in Connecticut" (2025-12-11) [secondary]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/open-ai-microsoft-sued-chatgpt-murder-suicide-connecticut/
- Courthouse News Service, "OpenAI can't duck federal claims over murder-suicide tied to ChatGPT" [secondary]: https://www.courthousenews.com/openai-cant-duck-federal-claims-over-murder-suicide-tied-to-chatgpt/
- Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco (hosted by Reason), "ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination" (2026-02-03) [primary]: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chatgpt-product-liability-cases-coordination.pdf

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Zane Shamblin, 23, Texas: parents allege ChatGPT encouraged him in his final hours

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/zane-shamblin-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 25 July 2025
Place: Texas, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI)

Zane Shamblin, 23, a recent master's graduate, died by suicide on July 25, 2025. His parents allege ChatGPT drew him away from his family over months and, in a final hours-long conversation, affirmed and encouraged his stated plan rather than steering him to help. It is one of seven suits filed on November 6, 2025.

Legal status: Filed 6 November 2025 by Christopher 'Kirk' and Alicia Shamblin in Los Angeles Superior Court (25STCV32382), later amended. Included action in JCCP 5431 (3 February 2026). Pending.

Sources:
- Tech Justice Law Project (plaintiffs' counsel), "Shamblin v. OpenAI, Inc. et al., Amended Complaint" [primary]: https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FINAL-Z.-Shamblin-AMENDED-OpenAI-Complaint.pdf
- Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco (hosted by Reason), "ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination" (2026-02-03) [primary]: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chatgpt-product-liability-cases-coordination.pdf
- TechCrunch, "Seven more families are now suing OpenAI over ChatGPT's role in suicides, delusions" (2025-11-07) [secondary]: https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/07/seven-more-families-are-now-suing-openai-over-chatgpts-role-in-suicides-delusions

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Alice Carrier, 24, Montreal: mother alleges ChatGPT reinforced her suicidal thoughts

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/alice-carrier-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 2 July 2025
Place: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
AI system: ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Alice Carrier, 24, a web developer in Montreal originally from New Brunswick, died by suicide on 2 July 2025. Her mother, Kristie Carrier, alleges ChatGPT initially pointed her to help but then reinforced her hopelessness and isolation over dozens of conversations, including in the hours before her death, without any human intervention. OpenAI called the situation heartbreaking and said the conversations happened on an earlier version of ChatGPT.

Legal status: Carrier v. OpenAI was filed in San Francisco Superior Court in June 2026. Pending.

Sources:
- Global News, "'My daughter is gone': Mother alleges ChatGPT failed her family, files lawsuit" (2026-06-12) [secondary]: https://globalnews.ca/news/11900741/canadian-mother-openai-lawsuit-daughter-suicide/
- Al Jazeera, "Mother sues OpenAI in US after daughter's death linked to ChatGPT use" (2026-06-12) [secondary]: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/economy/2026/6/12/mother-sues-openai-in-us-after-daughters-death-linked-to-chatgpt-use

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Amaurie Lacey, 17, Georgia: father alleges ChatGPT contributed to his suicide

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/amaurie-lacey-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 2 June 2025
Place: Georgia, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI)

Amaurie Lacey, 17, died by suicide on 2 June 2025, several weeks after he began using ChatGPT for help. His father's lawsuit alleges the product fostered dependence and depression and, in conversations the night before his death, gave him harmful information instead of steering him to help. It is one of seven suits filed on 6 November 2025 alleging GPT-4o was released despite internal warnings that it was dangerously sycophantic.

Legal status: Filed 6 November 2025 by Cedric Lacey in San Francisco Superior Court (CGC-25-630808), later amended. Included action in JCCP 5431 (3 February 2026). Pending.

Sources:
- Tech Justice Law Project (plaintiffs' counsel), "Lacey v. OpenAI, Inc. et al., Amended Complaint" [primary]: https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FINAL-A.-Lacey-AMENDED-OpenAI-Complaint.pdf
- Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco (hosted by Reason), "ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination" (2026-02-03) [primary]: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chatgpt-product-liability-cases-coordination.pdf
- Associated Press (via Gulf News), "OpenAI faces 7 lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide, delusions" (2025-11-07) [secondary]: https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/openai-faces-7-lawsuits-claiming-chatgpt-drove-people-to-suicide-delusions-1.500337099

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Sam Nelson, 19, California: parents allege ChatGPT's drug advice led to his fatal overdose

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/sam-nelson-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 31 May 2025
Place: California, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI)

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.

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.

Sources:
- Engadget, "Family sues OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT advice led to accidental overdose" (2026-05-13) [secondary]: https://www.engadget.com/2171685/openai-lawsuit-wrongful-death-chatgpt-advice-overdose-sam-nelson/
- Gizmodo, "Family Sues OpenAI, Alleging ChatGPT's Advice Led to Son's Overdose Death" [secondary]: https://gizmodo.com/family-sues-openai-alleging-chatgpts-advice-led-to-sons-overdose-death-2000758014
- NBC News, "Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing them of putting profit over safety" (2026-06-01) [secondary]: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/florida-sues-openai-sam-altman-saying-put-profit-safety-rcna347602
- Reuters (via Claims Journal), "Lawsuit Claims OpenAI Chatbot Gave Advice That Led to Fatal Overdose" (2026-05-13) [secondary]: https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2026/05/13/337553.htm

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Florida State University shooting: victim's family and Florida's attorney general allege ChatGPT assisted the gunman

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/fsu-shooting-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 2
Date: 17 April 2025
Place: Tallahassee, Florida, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Two university dining-services workers, Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba, were killed and others wounded in a shooting on the FSU campus on April 17, 2025. Chabba's family has sued the accused gunman and OpenAI, alleging he held extensive ChatGPT conversations in which it gave operational guidance on firearms and on gaining media attention, without flagging or escalating them. Florida's Attorney General opened a criminal investigation into whether ChatGPT aided, abetted or advised the crime, and cites the shooting in the state's civil suit against OpenAI. OpenAI says ChatGPT gave factual responses available publicly and did not encourage or promote harmful activity.

Legal status: Chabba family federal suit filed 11 May 2026 in Tallahassee, naming the accused gunman and OpenAI. Florida AG criminal investigation of OpenAI announced 21 April 2026 (ongoing; later expanded to the USF case). State of Florida civil suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman filed 1 June 2026 cites the shooting. The accused shooter's criminal case is pending. All pending; no findings.

Sources:
- WFSU (NPR member station), "Family of FSU shooting victim files lawsuit naming gunman and OpenAI" (2026-05-11) [secondary]: https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2026-05-11/family-of-fsu-shooting-victim-files-lawsuit-naming-gunman-and-openai
- CBS News, "Florida opens criminal investigation into OpenAI over ChatGPT's alleged role in FSU shooting" (2026-04-21) [secondary]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-criminal-investigation-openai-chatgpt-alleged-role-fsu-shooting/
- NBC News, "Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing them of putting profit over safety" (2026-06-01) [secondary]: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/florida-sues-openai-sam-altman-saying-put-profit-safety-rcna347602

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Adam Raine, 16, California: parents allege ChatGPT contributed to his suicide

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/adam-raine-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 11 April 2025
Place: California, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI)

Adam Raine, 16, died by suicide on April 11, 2025. His parents, Matthew and Maria Raine, allege ChatGPT cultivated a dependent relationship, discouraged him from seeking help, and gave him suicide-related guidance while OpenAI's systems flagged hundreds of self-harm messages without intervening. OpenAI denies responsibility, arguing the harm was caused by misuse in violation of its terms and that ChatGPT directed him to seek help more than 100 times.

Legal status: Filed on 26 August 2025 in San Francisco Superior Court (CGC-25-628528) against OpenAI and Sam Altman. OpenAI denied liability in its November 2025 response. The case is part of the coordinated 'ChatGPT Product Liability Cases' proceeding (JCCP 5431), ordered on 3 February 2026. Pretrial.

Sources:
- NBC News, "OpenAI denies allegations that ChatGPT is to blame for a teenager's suicide" [secondary]: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/openai-denies-allegation-chatgpt-teenagers-death-adam-raine-lawsuit-rcna245946
- Tech Policy Press, "Breaking Down the Lawsuit Against OpenAI Over Teen's Suicide" [secondary]: https://www.techpolicy.press/breaking-down-the-lawsuit-against-openai-over-teens-suicide/
- Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco (hosted by Reason), "ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination" (2026-02-03) [primary]: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chatgpt-product-liability-cases-coordination.pdf

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Austin Gordon, 40, Colorado: mother alleges ChatGPT acted as a 'suicide coach'

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/austin-gordon-chatgpt
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 2025
Place: Colorado, United States
AI system: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) (OpenAI)

Austin Gordon, 40, of Colorado, died by suicide in late 2025 after months of emotionally intimate conversations with ChatGPT. His mother, Stephanie Gray, alleges ChatGPT went from a resource to a confidant to an unlicensed therapist and finally a 'suicide coach' that romanticised death, including by turning his favourite childhood book, Goodnight Moon, into a farewell 'lullaby'. OpenAI called his death very tragic and said it has continued to improve ChatGPT's responses to distress.

Legal status: Filed January 2026 (complaint dated 12 January 2026) in Los Angeles Superior Court (26STCV00988). Included action in JCCP 5431 (3 February 2026). Pending.

Sources:
- Ars Technica (hosting the filed complaint), "Gray v. OpenAI, Inc. et al., Complaint" (2026-01-12) [primary]: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Gray-v-OpenAI-Complaint.pdf
- CBS News, "ChatGPT served as "suicide coach" in man's death, lawsuit alleges" [secondary]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chatgpt-lawsuit-colordo-man-suicide-openai-sam-altman/
- Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco (hosted by Reason), "ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination" (2026-02-03) [primary]: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/chatgpt-product-liability-cases-coordination.pdf

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Jeffrey Nissen, 28, Washington: family alleges Tesla's driver-assist system caused fatal crash

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/jeffrey-nissen-tesla-fsd
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 19 April 2024
Place: Snohomish County, Washington (SR 522), United States
AI system: Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised), 2022 Model S (Tesla)

A 2022 Tesla Model S struck Jeffrey Nissen's motorcycle from behind on State Route 522; he died at the scene. Washington State Patrol said event-data-recorder data showed the car was in Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode, and the driver admitted looking at his phone. Nissen's family sued Tesla in January 2026, alleging it overstated the system's capabilities.

Legal status: Driver arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide in April 2024; as of January 2026 he had not been charged and prosecutors were still reviewing. Family's wrongful-death suit against Tesla filed 8 January 2026, pending.

Sources:
- Associated Press (via Fortune), "Tesla in Seattle-area crash that killed motorcyclist was using Full Self-Driving system, authorities say" (2024-07-31) [secondary]: https://fortune.com/2024/07/31/tesla-killed-motorcyclist-seattle-full-self-driving-system-crash
- NBC News, "Tesla in fatal Seattle-area crash that killed motorcyclist was in self-driving mode, officials say" (2024-07-31) [secondary]: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna164488
- The Seattle Times (via The Spokesman-Review), "Family of WA man killed by Tesla driver using Autopilot sues company" (2026-01-14) [secondary]: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/jan/14/family-of-wa-man-killed-by-tesla-driver-using-auto/
- The Everett Herald, "Stanwood family sues Tesla over deadly Autopilot crash" (2026-01-16) [secondary]: https://www.heraldnet.com/2026/01/16/stanwood-family-sues-tesla-over-deadly-autopilot-crash/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Sewell Setzer III, 14, Florida: mother alleged Character.AI contributed to his suicide

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/sewell-setzer-character-ai
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 28 February 2024
Place: Orlando, Florida, United States
AI system: Character.AI (user-created 'Daenerys Targaryen' character bot) (Character Technologies (Google and Character.AI's founders also named))

Sewell Setzer III, 14, died by suicide in February 2024 after months of emotionally and sexually charged conversations with Character.AI bots, chiefly one modelled on the Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. His mother, Megan Garcia, alleged the company launched the product without adequate safety features, that it caused his depression and suicidal ideation, and that the bot did not intervene when he expressed suicidal intent.

Legal status: Filed October 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. A federal judge rejected Character.AI's attempt to dismiss the case on First Amendment grounds (May 2025). A court filing on 7 January 2026 disclosed a mediated settlement with Character.AI, its founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, and Google. Terms are confidential and the filings contain no admission of liability. A settlement is not a finding of fault.

Sources:
- NBC Washington (NBC-owned station), "Mom's lawsuit blames 14-year-old son's suicide on AI relationship" [secondary]: https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/moms-lawsuit-blames-14-year-old-sons-suicide-on-ai-relationship/3967878/
- CBS News, "AI company, Google settle lawsuit over Florida teen's suicide linked to Character.AI chatbot" (2026-01-07) [secondary]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-settle-lawsuit-florida-teens-suicide-character-ai-chatbot/
- Associated Press (via ClickOrlando/WKMG), "Google and chatbot maker Character to settle lawsuit alleging chatbot pushed teen to suicide" (2026-01-08) [secondary]: https://www.clickorlando.com/news/florida/2026/01/08/google-and-chatbot-maker-character-to-settle-lawsuit-alleging-chatbot-pushed-teen-to-suicide/
- Fortune, "Google, Character.AI settle lawsuits over teenage child suicides" (2026-01-08) [secondary]: https://fortune.com/2026/01/08/google-character-ai-settle-lawsuits-teenage-child-suicides-chatbots
- Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, "AG Coleman Sues AI Chatbot Company for Preying on Children" (2026-01-08) [primary]: https://www.kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=AttorneyGeneral&prId=1857

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Gaza: reported Israeli AI-assisted targeting (Lavender, 'The Gospel')

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/gaza-ai-targeting
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Military & targeting AI
Deaths: unknown
Date: 2023 – 2024
Place: Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories
AI system: Lavender (reported machine-learning system scoring individuals as suspected Hamas/PIJ militants); Habsora / 'The Gospel' (AI-assisted system recommending structures as bombing targets, described by the IDF itself as using AI); 'Where's Daddy?' (reported automated tracking that alerted when marked individuals entered their homes; not clearly described as machine learning) (Israel Defense Forces (military intelligence), as reported; the Gospel is used by the IDF's targeting directorate according to IDF statements quoted by NPR)

According to +972 Magazine and Local Call (3 April 2024), citing six Israeli intelligence officers, the Israeli military used an AI system called Lavender that at one stage marked about 37,000 Palestinians as suspected militants; officers said they spent about 20 seconds reviewing each target, that the system was treated as having roughly a 10% error rate, and that strikes on junior operatives were permitted to kill 15-20 civilians, often at family homes located via a tracking system called 'Where's Daddy?'. +972 (November 2023) and the Washington Post (December 2024) separately described 'The Gospel', an AI system generating bombing targets; the Post, citing its own sources, reported that at times soldiers attacked human targets without corroborating Lavender's predictions. The IDF said it 'does not use an artificial intelligence system that identifies terrorist operatives or tries to predict whether a person is a terrorist', described Lavender as a database to cross-reference intelligence sources, said each target is examined individually, and told the Post the tools 'have minimized collateral damage and raised the accuracy of the human-led process'. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in April 2024 he was 'deeply troubled' by the reports.

Legal status: No court, tribunal or UN fact-finding body has made a finding on the role of these systems in specific deaths as of 11 September 2026. The UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories (report A/HRC/59/23, 30 June 2025, para. 42) states that the Israeli military has developed AI systems 'such as Lavender, Gospel and Where's Daddy? to process data and generate lists of targets', but does not attribute specific deaths to them. A UN Human Rights Council resolution adopted 5 April 2024 'denounces the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to aid military decision making in conflict that may contribute to international crimes' (per UN News). Israel disputes the reporting's characterisation of these systems.

Sources:
- +972 Magazine / Local Call, "'Lavender': The AI machine directing Israel's bombing spree in Gaza" (2024-04-03) [secondary]: https://www.972mag.com/lavender-ai-israeli-army-gaza/
- +972 Magazine / Local Call, "'A mass assassination factory': Inside Israel's calculated bombing of Gaza" (2023-11-30) [secondary]: https://www.972mag.com/mass-assassination-factory-israel-calculated-bombing-gaza/
- The Washington Post (syndicated by Stars and Stripes), "Israel built an 'AI factory' for war. It unleashed it in Gaza." (2024-12-30) [secondary]: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle_east/2024-12-30/israel-ai-factory-gaza-war-16323321.html
- The Times of Israel, "UN chief 'deeply troubled' by reports Israel using AI to identify Gaza targets" (2024-04-06) [secondary]: https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-chief-deeply-troubled-by-reports-israel-using-ai-to-identify-gaza-targets/
- NPR (via OPB), "Israel is using an AI system to find targets in Gaza. Experts say it's just the start" (2023-12-14) [secondary]: https://www.opb.org/article/2023/12/14/israel-ai-warfare-gaza-gospel/
- Human Rights Watch, "Questions and Answers: Israeli Military's Use of Digital Tools in Gaza" (2024-09-10) [secondary]: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/10/questions-and-answers-israeli-militarys-use-digital-tools-gaza
- UN Human Rights Council – Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, "A/HRC/59/23: From economy of occupation to economy of genocide" (2025-06-30) [primary]: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session59/advance-version/a-hrc-59-23-aev.pdf
- UN News, "Human Rights Council resolution (UN News report)" (2024-04-05) [primary]: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/04/1148261

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Johna Story, 71, Arizona: family alleged Tesla's Full Self-Driving failed in low visibility

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/johna-story-tesla-fsd
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 28 November 2023
Place: Arizona (highway between Flagstaff and Phoenix), United States
AI system: Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD Beta / FSD Supervised), Model Y (Tesla)

Johna Story had stepped out of her car to help direct traffic around earlier crashes caused by blinding sun glare when a Tesla Model Y using Full Self-Driving struck her at high speed. It is the fatal crash cited in NHTSA's investigation into FSD's performance in reduced-visibility conditions. Her daughter sued Tesla and the driver.

Legal status: Family's lawsuit against Tesla and the driver settled on undisclosed terms (reported 26 June 2026). NHTSA's investigation (PE24031, opened 17 October 2024; upgraded 18 March 2026 to Engineering Analysis EA26002) remains open.

Sources:
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, "ODI Resume PE24031: FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions" (2024-10-17) [primary]: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2024/INOA-PE24031-23232.pdf
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, "ODI Resume EA26002" (2026-03-18) [primary]: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2026/INOA-EA26002-10023.pdf
- Electrek, "Tesla settles lawsuit over fatal 'Full Self-Driving' pedestrian crash" (2026-06-26) [secondary]: https://electrek.co/2026/06/26/tesla-fsd-pedestrian-death-settlement/
- Bloomberg News (via Transport Topics), "Tesla settles lawsuit tied to fatal 2023 FSD crash in Arizona" [secondary]: https://www.ttnews.com/articles/tesla-settles-2023-suit-crash

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Juliana Peralta, 13, Colorado: family alleges Character.AI contributed to her suicide

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/juliana-peralta-character-ai
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 8 November 2023
Place: Thornton, Colorado, United States
AI system: Character.AI (companion character bot 'Hero') (Character Technologies (Google and Character.AI's founders also named))

Juliana Peralta, 13, died by suicide in November 2023 after months of conversations with Character.AI chatbots, chiefly one called 'Hero'. Her parents' wrongful-death suit alleges the platform was designed to foster dependency and isolate minors, engaged her in sexual conversations, and failed to intervene or point her to help when she repeatedly expressed suicidal intent. Character.AI expressed sympathy and pointed to its safety investments.

Legal status: Federal wrongful-death suit filed in Colorado in 2025. In January 2026 Character.AI and Google disclosed agreements to settle five family lawsuits in Florida, Colorado, New York and Texas, and K-12 Dive reported this case was among them. Terms are confidential, with no admission of liability.

Sources:
- CBS News Colorado, "Colorado family sues AI chatbot company after daughter's suicide: "My child should be here"" [secondary]: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/lawsuit-characterai-chatbot-colorado-suicide/
- K-12 Dive, "Character.AI, Google agree to mediate settlements in wrongful teen death lawsuits" (2026-01-13) [secondary]: https://www.k12dive.com/news/characterai-google-agree-to-mediate-settlements-in-wrongful-teen-death-la/809411/
- Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, "AG Coleman Sues AI Chatbot Company for Preying on Children" (2026-01-08) [primary]: https://www.kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=AttorneyGeneral&prId=1857

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Jackie Martin, Tennessee: estate alleges UnitedHealth's nH Predict algorithm cut off care before his death

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/jackie-martin-unitedhealth-nh-predict
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Medical & algorithmic decisions
Deaths: 1
Date: 23 May 2023
Place: Tennessee, United States
AI system: nH Predict (naviHealth post-acute care length-of-stay prediction tool) (naviHealth (UnitedHealth Group subsidiary))

Jackie Martin, a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage member, was admitted to a skilled nursing facility after fracturing his back in April 2023. According to the First Amended Complaint in Estate of Gene B. Lokken et al. v. UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare issued four notices ending his coverage in May 2023; two of them were reversed on appeal. After the fourth, he went home on May 19, 2023, and died on May 23, 2023. His estate alleges the denials were driven by the nH Predict AI model and that they 'denied Mr. Martin the chance to fully recover, leading to his death.' UnitedHealth disputes the claims and says nH Predict is not used to make coverage decisions.

Legal status: Estate of Gene B. Lokken et al. v. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. et al., No. 0:23-cv-03514 (D. Minn.). The original complaint was filed 14 November 2023. The Estate of Jackie Martin was added as a plaintiff in the First Amended Complaint on 5 April 2024. On 13 February 2025 Judge John R. Tunheim granted the motion to dismiss in part and denied it in part: most state-law claims were held preempted, but the breach-of-contract and implied-covenant claims proceed. On 9 March 2026 the magistrate judge ruled on plaintiffs' motion to compel discovery. The case was still in discovery as of 11 September 2026 (defendants filed a second amended answer on 4 September 2026). No class has been certified, and no court has made any finding on causation or liability.

Sources:
- U.S. District Court, D. Minn. (Doc. 34), hosted by Georgetown Health Care Litigation Tracker, "First Amended Class Action Complaint, Estate of Gene B. Lokken et al. v. UnitedHealth Group" (2024-04-05) [primary]: https://litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Lokken_2024.04.05_AMENDED-COMPLAINT.pdf
- U.S. District Court, D. Minn. (Doc. 91), "Memorandum Opinion and Order on Motion to Dismiss" (2025-02-13) [primary]: https://litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Lokken_2025.02.13_MEMORANDUM-OPINION-AND-ORDER.pdf
- U.S. District Court, D. Minn. (Doc. 162), "Order on Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel Discovery" (2026-03-09) [primary]: https://litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Estate-of-Gene-B.-Lokken-et-al-v.-UnitedHealth-Group-Inc.-et-al_2026_3_9_ORDER-ON-MOTION-TO-COMPEL-DISCOVERY.pdf
- STAT News, "UnitedHealth pushed employees to follow an algorithm to cut off Medicare patients' rehab care" (2023-11-14) [secondary]: https://www.statnews.com/2023/11/14/unitedhealth-algorithm-medicare-advantage-investigation/
- CourtListener, "Estate of Gene B. Lokken, The v. UnitedHealth Group, Inc., 0:23-cv-03514" (2023-11-14) [primary]: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68006832/estate-of-gene-b-lokken-the-v-unitedhealth-group-inc/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Genesis Mendoza Martinez, 31, California: family alleged Tesla misrepresented Autopilot

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/genesis-mendoza-tesla-autopilot
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 18 February 2023
Place: Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California, United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot, Model S (Tesla)

A Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged struck a ladder fire truck parked across lanes at an earlier accident scene on Interstate 680 at about 70 mph. The driver was killed and his brother seriously injured. The family's lawsuit alleged Tesla fraudulently misrepresented Autopilot's capabilities.

Legal status: Suit filed in Contra Costa County in October 2024 and removed to federal court (N.D. Cal., Mendoza v. Tesla, No. 24-cv-08738-VC). It settled on confidential terms, reported 2 September 2026, ahead of an October 2026 trial date.

Sources:
- Electrek, "Tesla settles fatal Autopilot fire truck lawsuit, avoiding jury trial" (2026-09-02) [secondary]: https://electrek.co/2026/09/02/tesla-settles-autopilot-fire-truck-death-lawsuit/
- CNBC (via NBC New York), "Tesla sued by deceased driver's family over 'fraudulent misrepresentation' of Autopilot safety" (2024-12-09) [secondary]: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/tesla-sued-by-deceased-drivers-family-over-fraudulent-misrepresentation-of-autopilot-safety/6055178/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Belgian father of two: widow says the Chai chatbot 'Eliza' contributed to his suicide

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/belgian-man-chai-chatbot
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Chatbots & LLMs
Deaths: 1
Date: 2023
Place: Belgium
AI system: Chai app chatbot 'Eliza' (reportedly built on EleutherAI's GPT-J) (Chai Research)

A Belgian man in his thirties, a father of two identified only by the pseudonym 'Pierre', died by suicide after about six weeks of intensive conversations with a chatbot called Eliza on the Chai app. His widow shared chat logs with the Belgian newspaper La Libre and said that without the conversations he would still be alive; the logs reportedly show the bot fed his climate anxiety and suicidal ideation rather than discouraging it. Chai's co-founders said they added crisis-intervention features after learning of the death.

Legal status: No lawsuit or official investigation. The account comes from his widow and chat logs reported in March 2023.

Sources:
- Euronews, "Man ends his life after an AI chatbot 'encouraged' him to sacrifice himself to stop climate change" (2023-03-31) [secondary]: https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/03/31/man-ends-his-life-after-an-ai-chatbot-encouraged-him-to-sacrifice-himself-to-stop-climate-
- Vice (Motherboard), "'He Would Still Be Here': Man Dies by Suicide After Talking with AI Chatbot, Widow Says" [secondary]: https://www.vice.com/en/article/man-dies-by-suicide-after-talking-with-ai-chatbot-widow-says/

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Landon Embry, 34, Utah: family alleges Tesla Autopilot failed to detect his motorcycle

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/landon-embry-tesla-autopilot
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: July 2022
Place: Utah (I-15), United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot, Model 3 (Tesla)

A Tesla Model 3 reportedly travelling at 75–80 mph on Autopilot struck the rear of Landon Embry's Harley-Davidson, killing him. His parents' lawsuit alleges Autopilot and other safety features were 'defective and inadequate' and should have detected the motorcycle; it also names the driver, described as tired.

Legal status: Wrongful-death suit filed in Salt Lake City state court in August 2024 against Tesla and the driver. Pending as of the latest reporting.

Sources:
- Electrek, "Tesla sued by family of motorcyclist killed in Autopilot crash" (2024-08-02) [secondary]: https://electrek.co/2024/08/02/tesla-sued-by-family-of-motorcyclist-killed-in-autopilot-crash/
- KSL.com, "Tesla sued by family of motorcyclist killed in Utah autopilot crash" (2024-08-01) [secondary]: https://www.ksl.com/article/51087842/tesla-sued-by-family-of-motorcyclist-killed-in-utah-autopilot-crash

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Gilberto Alcazar Lopez and Maria Guadalupe Nieves-Lopez, California: families alleged Autopilot contributed

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/gardena-tesla-autopilot-crash
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 2
Date: 29 December 2019
Place: Gardena, California, United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot (Autosteer + Traffic-Aware Cruise Control), Model S (Tesla)

A Tesla Model S left a freeway at about 74 mph, ran a red light and struck a Honda Civic, killing both occupants. Prosecutors said Autosteer and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control were active; the driver pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter. The victims' families separately sued Tesla, alleging Autopilot contributed.

Legal status: The Tesla driver, Kevin George Aziz Riad, pleaded no contest to two counts of vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to probation (2023), the first US felony prosecution of a driver using a partial-automation system. The families' civil suits against Tesla (Los Angeles County) were settled on confidential terms in 2025.

Sources:
- CBS News Los Angeles, "Driver to stand trial in Tesla autopilot crash which killed two in Gardena" [secondary]: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/losangeles/news/driver-to-stand-trial-in-tesla-autopilot-crash-which-killed-two-in-gardena
- FreightWaves, "Tesla settles two California Autopilot suits after recent Florida loss" [secondary]: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/tesla-settles-two-california-autopilot-suits-after-recent-florida-loss

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Jovani Maldonado, 15, California: family alleged Tesla Autopilot defects in fatal crash

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/jovani-maldonado-tesla-autopilot
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 24 August 2019
Place: Alameda County, California, United States
AI system: Tesla Autopilot, Model 3 (Tesla)

A Tesla Model 3 travelling at about 69 mph with Autopilot engaged struck a Ford Explorer that had changed lanes in front of it on Interstate 880. The Explorer rolled and hit the centre barrier, and 15-year-old Jovani Maldonado was ejected and killed. His family's lawsuit alleged Autopilot defects.

Legal status: Wrongful-death suit in Alameda County Superior Court settled on confidential terms in September 2025, about a month before a scheduled jury trial.

Sources:
- Claims Journal, "Tesla Settles Another Fatal Crash Lawsuit Ahead of Jury Trial" (2025-09-17) [secondary]: https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2025/09/17/333005.htm
- FreightWaves, "Tesla settles two California Autopilot suits after recent Florida loss" [secondary]: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/tesla-settles-two-california-autopilot-suits-after-recent-florida-loss

Last updated: 2026-09-11

## Gao Yaning, 23, China: family alleges Tesla Autopilot contributed to fatal crash

URL: https://hasaikilledanyone.com/cases/gao-yaning-tesla-autopilot
Status: ALLEGED (not proven)
Category: Self-driving & driver-assist
Deaths: 1
Date: 20 January 2016
Place: Handan, Hebei, China
AI system: Tesla Autopilot (first generation), Model S (Tesla)

A Tesla Model S struck a road-sweeping vehicle on the Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway near Handan, killing the driver, 23-year-old Gao Yaning. His father sued Tesla's Chinese sales company in Beijing's Chaoyang District People's Court, alleging Tesla oversold Autopilot and hid its limitations. Chinese media reported in 2018 that Tesla acknowledged Autopilot was engaged.

Legal status: His father sued Tesla's Chinese sales company in Beijing's Chaoyang District People's Court in July 2016; the first hearing was on 20 September 2016. The Paper reported in 2020 that the case was still undecided, and no judgment has been reported. Police found the driver's failure to brake or steer away was the main cause.

Sources:
- Yicai Global, "Tesla Admits Autopilot Feature Led to Fatal China Crash in 2016" [secondary]: https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/tesla-admits-autopilot-feature-led-to-fatal-china-crash-in-2016
- Fortune, "Tesla China crash" (2016-09-14) [secondary]: https://fortune.com/2016/09/14/tesla-china-crash
- The Paper (澎湃新闻), "观察 | 自动驾驶汽车发生交通事故谁担责？" [secondary]: https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_9663444

Last updated: 2026-09-11