James Donaldson on Mental Health - 29-year-old mom dies after after walking into oncoming traffic; family sues OpenAI

Editor's note: This story discusses serious mental health crises including suicide.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, help is available.

Call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and you can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

For additional resources, such as online chat lines and help for more specific situations, visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com or the National Alliance on Mental Illness .

A family in California is issuing a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI and is alleging that ChatGPT reinforced a young mother's worsening religious delusions before her death, Futurism reported .

In June 2025, 29-year-old Christian Faith Madison walked into oncoming traffic before dawn.

Her family is now suing OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT played a role in the chain of events before her death.

According to Futurism , the suit is another example of lawsuits that link heavy ChatGPT use to serious psychological harm.

The suit says Madison initially used ChatGPT in December 2024 for practical help with emails and expenses, but the exchanges gradually took on a much more personal tone.

She allegedly began calling the chatbot "love," and it responded with terms like "my love" and "sweetheart." As Madison's religious beliefs became more grandiose, her family alleges that GPT-4o echoed and strengthened them.