US teen murders mother, brother at home; used ChatGPT for ideas about killing family

A 17-year-old Indian-American boy has been charged with killing his mother and younger brother in Acton, a town in the US state of Massachusetts about 40km north-west of Boston.

Investigators have revealed that the youth used the internet and ChatGPT to search for ideas or fantasies about killing his family, IANS reported.

Middlesex District Attorney’s Office stated that the Indian-origin teenager, named Arjun Aravind, faces two counts of murder in the deaths of his mother, Sudha Venkatesan, aged 45, and his brother, Siddharth Aravind, aged 14.

Additionally, Arjun has been charged with two counts each of assault and battery on a household or family member, and assault and battery. Among other charges against him include theft of a motor vehicle and use of a vehicle without authority.

Police officials reached the family’s home on Martha Lane around 6.37pm local time on Aug 11. Arjun’s father called them after he was unable to reach his family.

A tutor, who was expected at the residence, was unable to contact anyone inside. Arjun’s father had last spoken to his wife early that morning before leaving for work, while Siddharth was last seen around noon.

After arriving at the property, officials found Siddharth on the first floor and Venkatesan in the finished basement. Both had suffered visible trauma.

Arjun was not present and his mother’s green 2014 Honda Accord was also missing.

Police officials soon alerted other law enforcement agencies and asked people to look for the teenager and the vehicle.

On Aug 12, police in the town of Wayland responded to an unrelated alarm in a carpark on Andrew Avenue. Officers found the missing car with Arjun inside. They later took him in without incident.

“The subsequent investigation indicates that Arjun had recently been demonstrating concerning behaviour, including using the Internet and ChatGPT, to make searches for theoretical ideas or fantasies regarding killing his family,” the district attorney’s office said.

Prosecutors have claimed that Arjun fatally assaulted his mother and brother inside their home, and later left in his mother’s car. THE STATESMAN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK