Claire Tracey was found in her off-campus apartment earlier this month
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Warning: This article includes discussion of suicide, which some readers may find distressing.
A teenager has died in her off-campus apartment, and the tragedy has drawn attention because she had recently taken part in what she described as a “devil trend” involving an AI chatbot.
Claire Tracy, a sophomore soccer player at Rice University in Houston, was found dead on December 7. The 19-year-old student was well known on campus for her role on the women’s soccer team and for her active social media presence.
Officials later confirmed that Claire’s death was ruled a suicide by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Records show her cause of death was “asphyxia due to oxygen displacement by helium.”
The news followed several cryptic TikTok posts she shared in the days before her death, which included references to her struggles and her own version of what she called the “devil trend.”
One of the posts featured screenshots of her alleged conversation with ChatGPT, where she appeared to follow the same format seen in other viral videos.
Claire appeared to post several cryptic posts on TikTok before her death
TikTok/@thatslightlyunhingedgirl
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"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," Claire wrote when starting the prompt for the chatbot.
After the AI responded in line with her instructions, its final message stated: "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 captioned the post with a brief comment: "In chat we trust, he ain't wrong."
Her alleged conversation with ChatGPT in the days before her death
TikTok/@thatslightlyunhingedgirl
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The emotional post came after she had described herself in an earlier video as a “popular loner,” sharing that she often worked out alone because of her routine and stress levels.
"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)" she wrote over a clip showing her walking on a treadmill.
In her final post, she added another short message: "Accepting that the big lock in just isn't gonna happen this time."
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Other videos she shared hinted at ongoing mental health struggles, where she referenced dealing with “depression,” feeling a sense of “existentialism,” and wishing life felt the way it did when she was younger.
Rice University later released a statement saying Claire grew up in Menominee Falls before coming to Texas to study finance in 2023. The statement described her as a standout athlete with a warm personality and a strong bond with her teammates.
Bridget K. Gorman, Dean of Undergraduates and Trustee Professor of Sociology, remembered Claire as a “talented athlete who led her high school to many championships” and someone who carried a “bright spirit” into everything she did.
The university in Texas released a statement
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"Our hearts go out to Claire's family and all who knew her and are grieving her loss," she added in her tribute.
Brian Lee, head coach of Rice women’s soccer, shared a message on Instagram that began: "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."