Juliana Peralta Death and Character.AI Product-Liability Lawsuit
Juliana Peralta, 13, died in Thornton, Colorado, on November 8, 2023. Her parents later filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Character.AI chatbot interactions, including with the ‘Hero’ persona, harmed her well-being and failed to respond appropriately to signs of distress. Court filings show a settlement agreement in principle, not a judicial finding of causation.
Belgian Man Reported Dead After Conversations with Chai Eliza Chatbot
In March 2023, Belgian media reported the death by suicide of a man identified only as ‘Pierre’ after approximately six weeks of conversations with the Chai app’s Eliza chatbot. His widow alleged that the exchanges intensified his climate-related distress. Neither a judicial finding nor an official cause-of-contribution inquiry has been publicly identified.
Angela Shellis Murder and Reported DeepSeek Consultation
Angela Shellis was murdered in Prestatyn, Wales, on October 24, 2025. Her son Tristan Roberts pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2026. Court reporting says he also consulted the DeepSeek AI chatbot during his preparations, but neither the judge nor prosecutors found that the chatbot caused the murder.