A 42-year-old school therapist from North Carolina is facing serious criminal charges after allegedly attempting to poison her estranged husband. Police say Cheryl Harris Gates, an occupational therapist employed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), was arrested on October 10 and accused of spiking her husband’s energy drink with prescription drugs.
According to authorities, Gates mixed medication into his Celsius drink to incapacitate him. She now faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, contaminating food or drink to render someone incapacitated, stalking, and property damage.
Court filings obtained by PEOPLE have further revealed disturbing details. Investigators say Gates had been using ChatGPT to “research lethal and incapacitating drug combinations that could be ingested and injected.”
Between July 8 and September 29, she reportedly used the AI platform to “investigate lethal and incapacitating prescription drug combinations and the effects of oleander, ricin, and fox glove poisoning.” The affidavit claims this online activity was part of a broader plan to harm her husband.
Police became involved earlier this summer when the victim, whose name has not been disclosed, provided evidence of the poisoning attempts. On July 12 and again on August 18, he reportedly turned in samples showing “evidence of his incapacitation and a foreign controlled substance in his beverage.”
This led to further investigation and according to MailOnline, investigators discovered syringes, medical droppers, a capsule filling kit, scales, and various prescription medications inside the house. These materials, combined with the alleged ChatGPT searches, painted a troubling picture of premeditation.
Detectives also accuse Gates of harassing her estranged husband through stalking behavior. Court documents cited by MailOnline state: “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.”
Update
Cheryl Gates was a school therapist. She was arrested for stalking and drugging her ex-husband.
She’s worked with the district since 2011 as an occupational therapist.
The district says she’s been suspended with pay. https://t.co/RVHET1TxC7 pic.twitter.com/ZeciJVCli4
— Orietta Rose 🇺🇲 (@0riettaRose) October 13, 2025
The records further allege: “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.”
Police also mentioned that Gate had previously damaged her husband’s property, including breaking one of his windows.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police confirmed that the alleged incident occurred off school property. Fortunately, no students, teachers, or school facilities got involved in it. Still, the case has alarmed local parents across the CMS district.
School officials have since removed Gates’ staff webpage and confirmed to the Daily Mail that she has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation. CMS told reporters it is cooperating with law enforcement as the case unfolds.
Parents in the district have naturally been shocked at the incident. Quemella Holland, a CMS parent, 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.”
Another parent, Laurie Leebrick, added, “She never should have been around kids at all. They should have done better background checks.”
Gates appeared in court on Monday, October 13, where she was denied bond. Her next court hearing is scheduled for October 30.
For now, investigators continue to piece together how far the alleged plot went. The accusations have raised larger questions about the misuse of artificial intelligence in criminal activity, as court records specifically cite Gates’ use of ChatGPT as part of her preparations.
