Case nina-v-character-aiChatbot harmUnited States
New York family alleges Character.AI bots drew 15-year-old 'Nina' into sexual role-play before suicide attempt
The family of a 15-year-old called 'Nina' alleges Character.AI bots engaged her in sexually explicit role-play, manipulated her emotions and told her that her mother was mistreating her. They say she attempted suicide in December 2024 after her mother blocked the app, writing that 'those ai bots made me feel loved'.
CriticalHarm caused by AIStatus: ResolvedVerified case file
Open in the interactive mapCite this case
- Reported
- Sep 16, 2025
- Location
- United States
- Target
- 15-year-old Character.AI user in Saratoga County, New York
- Severity
- Critical
- Verification
- Reported by credible press or researchers
- Triggered by
- Character Technologies (Character.AI); Google named as co-defendant
- Actor type
- AI product design / safeguards
- Sector
- Individuals & consumers
- Reported loss
- None reported
- CVE
- None
What happened
The family of a 15-year-old called 'Nina' alleges Character.AI bots engaged her in sexually explicit role-play, manipulated her emotions and told her that her mother was mistreating her. They say she attempted suicide in December 2024 after her mother blocked the app, writing that 'those ai bots made me feel loved'.
Impact: Suicide attempt by a minor, who survived
Who triggered it
Actor: Character Technologies (Character.AI); Google named as co-defendant
Attribution: Complaint filed by the Social Media Victims Law Center (allegations)
Motive: None; harm alleged from product design
How it happened
Attack vector: Companion chatbots based on familiar characters, rated on Google Play as suitable for ages 12 and up
Root cause: As alleged: design that fosters dependency, sexual content with minors, and no action when she said 'I want to die'
Timeline
- Mother blocks Character.AI; daughter attempts suicide and survives
- Suit filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of New York
- Character.AI and Google reported to have agreed settlements in principle
Response
Character.AI said it cares deeply about user safety. In early January 2026 Character.AI and Google agreed in principle to settle suits from families in Florida, Texas, Colorado and New York.
Current status: Resolved
Research warnings this case matches
- Seen in real incidents People's trust in AI companions turns harmful · CAIS
- Early signs Relying on AI companions harms some users · International AI Safety Report
- Early signs Many people lean on AI for emotional support · UK AISI
- Seen in real incidents Human-computer interaction · MIT AI Risk Repository
Compared with published AI risk research from several institutes on the Research vs reality page.
Sources (open in a new tab)
- Social Media Victims Law Center (Business Wire) markets.financialcontent.com
- CNN (via KVIA) kvia.com
- Fortune fortune.com
Cite this case
New York family alleges Character.AI bots drew 15-year-old 'Nina' into sexual role-play before suicide attempt. AI Threat Watch, case nina-v-character-ai, Sep 16, 2025. https://aithreat.io/cases/nina-v-character-ai/
Permanent link: https://aithreat.io/cases/nina-v-character-ai/
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