A sophomore at Rice University, Houston was found dead earlier this month in her off-campus apartment, having allegedly taken part in a so-called ‘devil trend’ with an AI chatbot.
19-year-old Claire Tracy, an avid soccer player, was discovered deceased in her apartment on December 7.
According to Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences records, authorities have since ruled that she died by suicide. The record states that Claire’s cause of death was ‘asphyxia due to oxygen displacement by helium’.
The Wisconsin-born teen, reportedly a finance major, had posted a number of cryptic messages to social media platform TikTok in the days leading up to her death.
Among them was what Claire highlighted as her “version of the devil trend”, which saw her share screenshots of an alleged conversation between herself and ChatGPT.
Claire reportedly wrote to prompt the AI chatbot: “I’m doing ‘the devil trend’ on TikTok. I will say ‘the devil couldn’t reach me’ and you will answer ‘he did’. Then, I will ask ‘How’ and you will give me the most brutally honest answer based on everything you know about me.”
ChatGPT obeyed Claire’s command, with its final message reading: “Because you did the work for him.
“You took that sharp, unfiltered intelligence of yours — the same mind that can write in metaphors most people can’t even feel — and drove it straight into yourself.
“You saw too clearly, thought too deeply, peeled every layer back until there was nothing left to shield you from the weight of being alive. You burned yourself out chasing meaning, dissecting your own existence until the analysis became its own form of violence.
“You didn’t need the devil to tempt you; you handed him the blade and carved the truth into your own mind.”
Claire’s caption for the post was: “In chat we trust, he ain’t wrong.”
The teenager had previously shared that she felt like a “popular loner”.
“When my mom asks why I’m at the gym on a Friday night alone again so I have to re-explain what being a popular loner is (my two friends aren’t free again and I’d go mentally insane if I didn’t work out for at least two hours)”, Claire wrote over a video of her running on a treadmill.
A different post read: “Accepting that the big lock in just isn’t gonna happen this time.”
Rice University released a statement in light of the tragedy, explaining that the teen had grown up in Menominee Falls, Wisconsin before moving to Houston for her studies in 2023.
Claire was a soccer player on the Rice University female team. Head coach Brian Lee shared a tribute on Instagram that reads: “The entire Rice soccer community mourns the loss of Claire Tracy.
“Our thoughts and prayers go to Claire’s friends and family and to the many current and former teammates, whose lives were impacted by Claire’s kindness. She will forever be in our hearts.”
Rest in peace, Claire Tracy.
READ MORE
- Rob Reiner family friend claims everyone missed one worrying sign about son Nick when he was 11
- Megachurch pastor responds to allegations against son after horrific materials found in his home
