Authorities in North Carolina have arrested a school therapist accused of spiking her husband’s energy drink after allegedly researching lethal poisons using ChatGPT.
Cheryl Harris Gates, 43, faces first-degree attempted murder charges after allegedly adding “prescription medications with the intention of causing a blackout condition or incapacitation” to her husband’s Celsius energy drink, according to an arrest warrant obtained by The Post. Investigators said Gates used ChatGPT between July 8 and Sept. 29 to research “lethal” and “incapacitating” drug combinations that could be injected or ingested.
Court documents indicate Gates purchased materials and attempted to carry out her plan, leaving syringes, a capsule filling kit, medical droppers, scales, medications, and other items in her workspace at home. The victim reported two incidents of incapacitation and finding a foreign, controlled substance in his beverage on July 12 and Aug. 18. At the time, the couple was not living together.
Gates, an occupational therapist formerly employed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, has had her school webpage removed, and the district did not respond to requests for comment.
In addition to the poisoning allegations, Gates faces charges for a separate incident last Tuesday, including stalking and property damage. Arrest warrants claim she placed a tracking device on her husband’s vehicle and caused damage to a window on his property.
The case highlights increasing concerns over the misuse of AI tools in criminal planning, as well as the safety implications of domestic disputes involving professionals entrusted with the care of children.
