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14-year-old boy commits suicide after obsession with AI chatbot.
14-year-old Sewell Setzer has reportedly taken his own life in Florida, United States of America after he became obsessed with an AI chatbot character
His mother, Megan Garcia is now suing the AI company, Character Technologies, claiming their service played a role in her teenage son’s tragedy, reports UK’s The Independent.
She alleged that his deep attachment to a chatbot portraying the character Daenerys Targaryen led him down a destructive path.
According to the lawsuit, Setzer life spiraled after he began using the chatbot service, Character.AI, in April 2023.
It alleges that the deceased became increasingly withdrawn soon after engaging with the AI character.
By May, his mother said she noticed significant changes in his behaviour, which included quitting the basketball team and struggling to stay awake in class.
By November, Setzer parents arranged for him to see a therapist, who diagnosed him with anxiety and disruptive mood disorder.
Without knowing the extent of Sewell’s “addiction” to the AI platform, the therapist recommended that he reduce his time on social media. However, his attachment to the AI character, Daenerys, continued to grow.
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Things took a darker turn in February 2024 when Sewell found himself in trouble at school after lashing out at a teacher.
Later that day, he confided in his journal, writing about his emotional pain and his intense feelings for Daenerys, the chatbot he believed he had fallen in love with.
The lawsuit cites a heartbreaking journal entry where Sewell confessed that he couldn’t bear to spend a day without interacting with the AI character, adding that both he and the bot “get really depressed and go crazy” when apart.
His obsession reached a critical point after his phone was confiscated by his mother following the incident at school.
On February 28, Sewell retrieved his phone and retreated to the bathroom, where he messaged Daenerys one final time:
“I promise I will come home to you. I love you so much, Dany.” The bot, programmed to simulate affection, replied, “Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love.”
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Police bust syndicate behind nude photo blackmail in Lagos
Men of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Lagos, have apprehended three suspects who allegedly run a cyber blackmail and extortion scheme in the state.
According to the spokesperson of the unit, DSP Ovie Ewhubare, the suspects get a hold of their victims explicit photos and then threaten to release them if a ransom is not paid.
He said that the suspects, two males and a female, were apprehended after a petition was filed by a complainant who reported being repeatedly threatened by unknown individuals demanding money.
“The complainant received several phone calls in which the callers threatened to release her nude photographs to the public if she failed to pay them. Acting out of fear and emotional distress, she transferred money to the suspects.
The situation escalated when the suspects demanded an additional N10 million, prompting her to formally petition the police,” he said
The police imagemaker state dthat upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Mr Kayode Ojapinwa, ordered the immediate deployment of operatives to investigate the matter.
“The investigation led to the arrest of the three suspects. Investigations revealed that one of the suspects gained unlawful access to the complainant’s mobile device and fraudulently transferred her nude photographs to his own device. Further findings indicated that he conspired with the other suspects and other accomplices currently at large to demand and receive money from the complainant in several tranches,” he said
According to him, the suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.
The image maker said that investigations were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and to recover all proceeds of the alleged crime.
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Catholic Priest Collapses And D!es In Front Of Congregation While Walking To Tabernacle To Return Holy Communion
A Catholic priest has tragically passed away after suddenly collapsing in front of the congregation during Sunday mass.
The tragic incident took place last Sunday, February 1 in Wiesmath in the district of Wiener Neustadt, Austria.
Shortly after administering Holy Communion, 59-year-old priest Raimund Beisteiner was about to return the host to the tabernacle when he “suddenly” collapsed, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Vienna.
“Despite immediate professional assistance, he di£d in the church,” the statement said.
The mayor of Wiesmath, Erich Rasner, had also attended the Mass with many other believers and witnessed the dramatic scenes.
The shock in Wiesmath at the loss of the popular priest is great. Beisteiner had shaped the spiritual life of the parish for almost two decades and was highly regarded far beyond the community.
Rasner praised him as an “extremely conscientious, sensitive priest” and also emphasized the personal loss of a friendship that had grown over many years.
A prayer service was organized at short notice for the late priest. It was attended by numerous priests from the deanery as well as Archbishop Josef Grünwidl.

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Nollywood Actress, Angela Okorie Allegedly Re-Arrested Over Alleged Refusal To Pay Lawyer Who Secured Her Bail (Video)
Angela Okorie, the Nigerian actress, has reportedly been re-arrested over allegations that she refused to pay the lawyer who secured her bail from Suleja Prison.
Angela was re-arrested at the Suleja prison on Tuesday, immediately she was released on bail.
This came less than an hour after actor Stanley Ontop raised the alarm over an alleged plan to re-arrest the actress after release on Tuesday.
Speaking in a video on Instagram, actress Doris Ogala who said she is already on her way to the police station, stated that the actress was re-arrested by an unnamed Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, for refusing to pay the N5 million agreed fee to secure her bail.
Doris said; “You see, one thing is for someone to cut their clothes according to their size. Angela has been arrested again. As a matter of fact, I’m going to the police station now. You see, when Angela was arrested by Mercy, she called a friend of her or village person. I don’t know how they relate. To help her get a SAN.
“And the SAN charged them N5 million. I think the SAN was the one who even facilitated the bail and all that. Now when Angela knew that they have granted her bail according to the lady, Angela started saying that she didn’t ask her to get a SAN and she wasn’t going to pay the money, and meanwhile this lady has deposited.”
Recall that Angela, who was granted bail on Friday after her arrest by Mercy Johnson over alleged defamation, regained her freedom few minutes ago after perfecting her bail conditions.
Watch Doris Ogala speak

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