16-Year-Old Kentucky Student Dies by Suicide After AI Deepfake Blackmail

The tragic death of 16-year-old Elijah “Eli” Heacock has shed light on the growing danger of sextortion schemes targeting teens, particularly those involving AI-generated images. Elijah died by suicide on February 28, shortly after receiving threatening messages demanding $3,000 in exchange for not releasing manipulated nude photos.

The Glasgow, Kentucky teen received a text from an anonymous individual who claimed to possess explicit images of him — images later discovered to be artificially generated. It remains unclear if Elijah knew the photos were fake. According to his parents, the threatening messages escalated quickly.

“They started asking Eli for money,” his mother, Shannon Heacock, told News Channel 10. “This person was asking for $3,000. $3,000 from a child, and now we’re looking at $30,000 to bury our son and medical bills.”

Elijah was taken to a local hospital after sustaining a self-inflicted gunshot wound. While at his bedside, his family discovered the disturbing messages and images on his phone. A Barren County Sheriff’s Office detective reviewed the evidence and advised that the FBI be brought in, News Channel 10 reported.

Federal authorities and local investigators now believe Elijah was the victim of a sextortion scam — a crime that has seen a significant rise in recent years. His parents, devastated by the loss, are speaking out to warn others and push for legislative action.

“We knew nothing about sextortion or how it works,” Elijah’s father, John Burnett, told ABC News. Shannon Heacock added that she found proof Elijah had sent some money to the scammer, who then responded, “This is not enough.”

Burnett emphasized the sophisticated nature of these criminal networks. “The people who are after our children are well organized. They are well financed, and they are relentless,” he told CBS News. “They don’t need the photos to be real — they can generate whatever they want, and then they use it to blackmail the child.”

According to the FBI, sextortion scams, particularly those involving minors, are on the rise. “The FBI has seen a huge increase in the number of cases involving children and teens being threatened and coerced into sending explicit images online,” the agency notes on its website.

In many cases of financial sextortion, the FBI warns, predators demand money or gift cards in exchange for not releasing compromising content, even though they often proceed to share it regardless of payment.

Elijah’s grieving parents are now urging lawmakers to take action. “I don’t want another mother to ever face this, another sibling, another father to face this,” Shannon said.