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Suchir Balaji’s mother Poornima Rao alleged that the office of the chief medical examiner saw this video and still concluded that he was depressed and called his death a suicide
OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji’s mother shared a purported CCTV grab of her son getting dinner on the day of his death. (Image: @RaoPoornima/X)
The mother of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji, who was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26 last year, has shared a picture of him getting dinner on the day of his death.
Contrary to his parents’ claims, Suchir’s autopsy report, which was released earlier in February, ruled out any foul play and confirmed death by suicide. Flagging numerous inconsistencies, his parents had said they disagree with the report while continuing to conduct their own investigation.
Posting the picture on X on Wednesday, Poornima Rao claimed that it is a CCTV grab from the liaison office of the apartment building where he lived. “Suchir’s picture on the day of his death at 7.30 pm, getting dinner. This is from CCTV footage,” she wrote.
Check her post here: https://x.com/raopoornima/status/1899867607043629098?s=46
She alleged that the office of the chief medical examiner (OCME) saw this video and still concluded that he was depressed and called his death a suicide. “Another cover by OCME: they stated to our attorney that GHB (date-rape drug) is endogenous (formed in dead bodies) three days after death. But, we found out that the level of endogenous GHB is less than 5,000 ng/L. A line in the autopsy report says that toxicology report will include GHB only if it is more than 50,000 ng/L. Combined with alcohol this is a sedative. With this combination he will be losing muscle control or possibly (become) unconscious. We are waiting for toxicologist to give a written report,” she added.
Rao said Suchir’s death was ruled as suicide but they are conducting their own investigation based on reports from the OCME, toxicology, and CT scan. “Actually, we were only shown this video as a courtesy from the liaison office of the apartment where he (Suchir) used to stay, so we were only allowed to take a screenshot. At that moment, it was only him and he seemed pretty normal,” she told CNN-News18.
ALSO READ | Who Was Suchir Balaji? Know About Former OpenAI Researcher Found Dead In San Francisco
Asked if she will be taking her case to DOGE chief Elon Musk, who had supported their campaign since Day 1, she said: “We’ll reach out to him once we have conclusive decision on the case, we are waiting for some more experts to give their opinion.”
“We are building a case, we will reach out to the Trump Administration soon to take action against the chief medical examiner’s office. We will also go to Elon Musk and file a complaint with the North American Association of Medical Examiners,” she added.
She further said Dr Karen Ziegler was the doctor who performed the autopsy, alleging that she failed to look through the CT scan and injuries on Suchir’s body other than the fatal gunshot wound. “Suchir’s cheek bones are broken, there is laceration on the tongue,” she said, adding that they are also planning to file a complaint against David Sewell, executive director of OCME.
WHAT DID THE AUTOPSY REPORT SAY?
Suchir, 26, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment last year after he flagged ethical concerns regarding OpenAI’s practices.
Three days before the report was released, Rao had alleged the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) of providing inaccurate information in autopsy and police report.
“They have never retrieved CCTV footage from the leasing office. We need report from police. We are only requesting transparent investigation,” she had written in a post on X.
According to media reports, the police and medical examiners jointly issued a four-page statement, and the OCME released a comprehensive 13-page report that confirmed Suchir’s death was a suicide.
The report said there were no signs of injuries or bruising on his body and no evidence of forced entry into his apartment as the door was locked from the inside. The windows were not considered viable entry points, it said.
The report further stated that his internet history revealed that he searched about brain anatomy before taking the extreme step, and the gun found at the scene was registered in his name. Gunshot residue was detected on both his hands, and a toxicology report showed the presence of ethanol and amphetamines, it added.
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