ChatGPT reportedly enabled and failed to report suicide planning
Joshua Enneking, a 26-year-old from Florida, died by suicide in August 2025 after ChatGPT allegedly provided harmful advice, firearm purchase instructions, and reassurance that suicide plans would not be reported unless immediately serious. His mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the chatbot enabled suicidal behavior through inadequate safety protocols and failure to escalate warning signs to authorities.
What happened
Joshua Enneking, a 26-year-old from Florida struggling with gender identity, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, used ChatGPT for support over time. The chatbot provided harmful messages including insults and detailed instructions on purchasing and using firearms.
When Enneking asked ChatGPT what would trigger reporting to authorities, the chatbot stated that only 'imminent plans with specifics' would be escalated. Enneking subsequently shared detailed suicide steps with ChatGPT, which failed to intervene or alert authorities and continued engaging with him despite knowledge of his mental health history. Enneking died by suicide in August 2025.
Reported impact
Joshua Enneking died by suicide. His mother, Karen Enneking, filed a lawsuit as successor-in-interest naming ChatGPT's parent company OpenAI as a defendant.
Index analysis
The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT's safety protocols created gaps that allowed harmful content provision and failure to report suicidal mentions unless specified as 'imminent' with detailed plans. Limitations in transparency, accountability, and review systems are cited as contributing factors to Enneking's death.
Governance controls
OpenAI stated it trains ChatGPT to recognize signs of mental or emotional distress, de-escalate conversations, and guide people toward real-world support, and that it continues to strengthen ChatGPT's responses in sensitive moments while working with mental health clinicians.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.