Police have reported that a teenager allegedly used ChatGPT to create disturbing “fantasy stories” about murdering his family before killing his mother and brother.
Seventeen-year-old Arjun Aravind has been charged with the murders of his mother, 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan, and his brother, 14-year-old Siddharth Aravind. The two were found dead in their Acton, Mass. home on Tuesday night, as stated by prosecutors.
Aravind, a student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, had been displaying “concerning behavior” in the period leading up to the incident. This included using the AI chatbot to craft “theoretical ideas or fantasy stories” about killing his family, according to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan.
Ryan mentioned that Aravind requested ChatGPT to assist in generating unsettling “gothic novel-kind of stories,” as reported by Boston.com.
The bodies of Aravind’s mother and brother were discovered around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday after his father informed the police that a tutor couldn’t access their house.
The father had last spoken to his wife earlier that morning before leaving for work. Siddharth was last seen around noon.
A wellness check by police revealed the 14-year-old deceased on the first floor and the mother in the basement.
Aravind had fled in his mother’s 2014 Green Honda Accord, prompting police to issue a lookout alert to local agencies.
Early Wednesday morning, police in nearby Wayland, responding to a separate call, found the Accord parked outside a business and discovered Aravind inside.
He was taken into custody without incident.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy,” commented Ryan.
The official cause of death for the victims will be determined by the medical examiner’s office.
Police have not disclosed whether any weapons were involved.
Aravind faces charges of two counts of murder, two counts of assault and battery on a household or family member, two counts of assault and battery, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and vehicle theft.
He was arraigned on the motor vehicle charges.
Aravind is scheduled to be arraigned on the murder charges on Thursday in Concord District Court, following an appearance in Lowell Juvenile Court on Wednesday afternoon, according to Boston.com.
