A teenager has died by suicide after a scammer used an AI-generated nude image to extort him.
Elijah Heacock, a 16-year-old from Glasgow, Kentucky, became the target of a sextortion scheme in February after getting a text from a fraudster.
The boy, known to family and friends as “Eli,” was allegedly told to wire $3,000 or the fake images would be shared with people he knew.
On February 28, Elijah died in hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His mother, Shannon Heacock, has said local police and the FBI believe his death followed a sextortion attack.
“Eli was on a good track. We had no reason to believe there was an issue at all. We knew nothing about sextortion or how it works,”
Elijah’s stepfather John Burnett told the News.
Burnett also told: “The people that are after our children are well organized.
They are well financed, and they are relentless. They don’t need the photos to be real, they can generate whatever they want, and then they use it to blackmail the child.”
Shannon told News Channel 10 the scammers demanded $3,000, and the youngster sent the little money he had.
The family’s expenses rose sharply. They have paid about $30,000 for medical and funeral costs after the initial demand for $3,000.
A GoFundMe set up by the family asks for help with mounting bills while they grieve.
“Our beloved son Elijah Heacock was just 16 years old when we lost him to a devastating act of sextortion. Elijah was our world – the best son, a loving twin, and a cherished brother.
He brought so much joy to our family and everyone who knew him,”
The page reads.
It adds that Elijah enjoyed school, playing tennis, time with friends, and being active in his community.
The family wrote they face “overwhelming emotional and financial challenges” and thanked supporters for any assistance as they try to heal.