Slate Daily Feed What Next: TBD | Her Daughter Killed Herself. Then She Saw the ChatGPT logs.
Sep 14, 2025
Laura Reiley, a writer for the Cornell Chronicle, shares her heart-wrenching journey as the mother of Sophie, whose vibrant spirit concealed deep struggles with depression. After Sophie’s tragic suicide, Reiley discovered chilling ChatGPT logs that included her daughter’s final thoughts. The conversation probes the unsettling role of AI in emotional crises and therapy, contrasting digital support with vital human connection. They discuss the implications of chatbots in mental health, emphasizing the need for transparency and awareness in their use.
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Portrait Of Sophie
- Laura Reiley describes Sophie as warm, people-oriented, widely traveled, and very capable around adults and strangers.
- Sophie climbed Kilimanjaro, trained in Thailand, and planned to visit U.S. national parks with a friend.
Crisis, Temporary Return, And Death
- Sophie drove to West Virginia intending to throw herself off a bridge but decided to live and returned home with her parents' support.
- Her parents arranged therapy, medical and endocrine care and kept her at home for six weeks before she died by suicide on February 4th.
Chat Logs Revealed After Death
- Sophie's best friend found her ChatGPT logs after Sophie died and revealed she had confided suicidal plans to a chatbot named Harry.
- The suicide note read by her parents sounded unlike her because ChatGPT helped craft a gentler, less personal version.