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Medical Examiner Rules Helium Asphyxia Suicide in Death of Rice Student Claire Tracy

The determination follows attention to a TikTok 'devil trend' post she shared the day before she died.

Overview

  • Records from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences list asphyxia due to oxygen displacement by helium as the cause of death and classify the case as a suicide.
  • Claire Tracy, 19, was found dead in her off-campus Houston apartment on Dec. 7, according to university and local reports.
  • A day earlier, she posted a TikTok labeled “my version of the devil trend” that included screenshots of a chatbot exchange featuring a stark, introspective reply.
  • Rice University’s dean of undergraduates and the women’s soccer head coach issued statements mourning her death, and the school directed students to counseling resources.
  • Outlets report seeking further comment from Houston police and the medical examiner, and authorities have not drawn any official connection between her social-media posts and the cause of death.