Topics: Crime, Domestic Abuse, News, US News, Parenting
A North Carolina school therapist is facing attempted murder charges after she allegedly spiked her estranged husband's energy drink with poison.
Cheryl Harris Gates, 42, who is an employee of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) as an occupational therapist, was arrested on Friday (October 10) and an investigation has been launched.
As well as attempted murder, she is charged with contaminating food or drink to render one mentally incapacitated or physically helpless, stalking, and damage to property.
Gates is accused of spiking her husband's Celsius energy drink with prescription medication, allegedly with the aim of incapacitating him.
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Before she allegedly committed the crime, MailOnline reports that the therapist used ChatGPT to 'research lethal and incapacitating drug combinations that could be ingested and injected'.
She reportedly used the artificial intelligence programme between July 8 and September 29 to 'investigate lethal and incapacitating prescription drug combinations and the effects of oleander, ricin, and fox glove poisoning', according to court filings.
An officer affidavit for obtaining a warrant, obtained by People, reveals that the victim, who has not been named, provided 'evidence of his incapacitation and a foreign controlled substance in his beverage' on July 12 and August 18.
It also revealed that the two were not living together and authorities found a slew of items in Gates' home that were collected as evidence.
The publication reports that these included syringes, a capsule filling kit, medical droppers, scales and medications.
Meanwhile, MailOnline also reported that detectives said that Gates harassed her ex by placing a tracking device on his vehicle and also broke a window belonging to him.
Court documents are said to have read: "The defendant unlawfully and willfully did without legal purpose, on more than one occasion harass [her husband] by placing a tracking device on his vehicle.
"The defendant knew and should have known that the harassment, course of conduct would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's safety or the safety of the person's immediate family."
The occupational therapist reportedly appeared in court on Monday (13 October) where she was denied bond and her next court appearance is scheduled for October 30.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed that the incident occurred off school property and did not involve any student, teacher or facility.
A webpage on Gates' role at the school has since been removed and the school district told the Daily Mail that she has been suspended from her position with pay.
Parents with children in CMS schools who have heard the news have come forward to react, speaking to local press.
Quemella Holland, whose child is in the CMS system, told WSOC TV: "It's definitely surprising that somebody in that capacity that is there to help others would do something, that type of crime, especially."
While fellow parent Laurie Leebrick added: “She never should have been around kids at all. They should have done better background checks.”
Tyla has reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for additional comment.
