In a Louisiana middle school, AI-generated nude images of students spread on Snapchat sparked a fight that led to a 13-year-old’s expulsion and the sheriff’s department charging two boys with unlawful image dissemination.
The Rumors and the First Response
After hearing rumors, the 13-year-old and two friends marched to the guidance counselor around 7 a.m. on Aug. 26, seeking moral support. The Associated Press does not name her because she is a minor and because AP doesn’t normally name victims of sexual crimes. At a school disciplinary hearing, the girl testified that she had not yet realized there were images of her.
Investigation and the Spread of Images
A weeks-long investigation at the Thibodaux school uncovered AI-generated nude images of eight female middle school students and two adults. The district and sheriff’s office issued a joint statement. The girl’s father, Joseph Daniels, described the images as “Full nudes with her face put on them.”
The images circulated on Snapchat, an app that deletes messages seconds after they’re viewed, making them difficult for adults to locate. A deputy assigned to the school searched social media but could not find them, and the principal, Danielle Coriell, said the investigation came up cold.
The Bus Fight and Expulsion
When the girl boarded the bus 15 minutes later, a boy was showing the AI-generated images to a friend. She slapped him, hit him a second time, and, after two classmates joined, she punched and stomped on him. Video of the fight was posted on Facebook.
The girl, who had no prior disciplinary problems, was expelled for a full semester-89 school days. She was sent to an alternative school, where she later began skipping meals and struggled with depression and anxiety.
Legal Action Against the Boys
Three weeks after the fight, the sheriff’s department charged a boy with 10 counts of unlawful dissemination of images created by artificial intelligence under a new Louisiana state law. A second boy was charged in December with identical charges. Neither was identified by authorities because of their ages. The girl was not charged, as the sheriff’s office described the situation as the “totality of the circumstances.”
Key Takeaways
- AI-generated nude images spread on Snapchat led to a fight and the expulsion of a 13-year-old.
- The investigation uncovered images of eight students and two adults, and the sheriff’s department charged two boys.
- The girl’s expulsion and subsequent mental health struggles highlight the impact of cyberbullying and the need for better school policies.
The incident has drawn criticism of the school district’s handling of the case and raises questions about how schools prepare for AI-driven cyberbullying.
