Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Coroner Leaves Cause Unresolved in Bolton Woman's Death as Phone Shows Last Contact With ChatGPT

The 23-year-old was found mummified after a welfare check triggered when a housing provider could not access her flat.

Overview

  • An inquest in Bolton recorded an open conclusion after a pathologist said Charlotte Leader's cause of death could not be determined.
  • Her remains were consistent with having been deceased for about a year, supported by fridge items dated July 2024 and the body's mummified state.
  • Phone forensics showed her last recorded interactions on 30 July 2024 were messages to ChatGPT asking for help, with police noting she had no other contacts.
  • Detectives reported no evidence of drugs or clear suicidal intent and described the flat as sparsely furnished yet immaculately clean.
  • Authorities and relatives described a history of mental-health struggles and eating disorders, including a declined 2022 appointment, prompting discussion about social isolation and the limits of general-purpose AI for crisis support.