HOBE SOUND, FL. (THECOUNT) — Jennifer Eckhart, the former Fox News staffer who accused ex-network anchor Ed Henry of rape and sexual misconduct in a high-profile 2020 lawsuit, has died at age 36, according to authorities.
Eckhart was found dead inside her Florida home on Saturday morning, September 19, according to a Martin County Sheriff’s Office incident report obtained by PEOPLE. Christine Christofek, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, confirmed that the death was ruled a suicide.
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TMZ was first to report Eckhart’s death. Her passing came more than a year after she settled her legal claims against Henry, who denied her allegations. Henry was fired by Fox News in 2020 following an internal investigation into sexual misconduct claims.
Eckhart worked for Fox for approximately seven years, including as an associate producer at Fox Business. In her lawsuit, she alleged that Henry had violently raped her and left her injured, bruised and battered. She also accused him of making threats related to her career and alleged that he sought to control her through sexual demands and intimidation.
Henry denied Eckhart’s allegations, maintaining that their relationship was consensual. Fox News said at the time that it took swift action after learning of her claims and confirmed that Henry was no longer employed by the network.
Fox News was later dismissed as a defendant in the lawsuit. Eckhart reached a settlement with Henry in 2025 after a legal battle that she described as exhausting and retraumatizing. In a statement following the settlement, she said that the resolution lifted a weight from her shoulders and renewed her commitment to supporting other trauma survivors.
“I turned pain into purpose,” Eckhart said in a statement cited by PEOPLE. She also argued that survivors do not need courtroom validation to emerge stronger from traumatic experiences.
Following the lawsuit, Eckhart launched The Reinvented Project, a nonprofit focused on helping trauma survivors through animal-assisted therapy. She also hosted the podcast REINVENTED with Jen Eckhart, which featured conversations about adversity, personal growth and overcoming difficult experiences.
Her podcast featured guests including musician Billy Corgan, who discussed generational trauma. Eckhart’s work after leaving the network reflected her stated goal of providing a platform for people whose experiences had left them feeling unheard.
Eckhart’s final Instagram post was published June 1. In the post, she shared a photograph of herself in Florida and wrote that she was glad to be active in “this weird little corner of the Internet” again. She also said she was working on projects she was excited to share.
The circumstances surrounding Eckhart’s death were confirmed by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities have not indicated that her death was connected to the lawsuit or her former professional relationship with Henry.
Eckhart’s death was reported in Hobe Sound, a community on Florida’s Treasure Coast in Martin County, north of West Palm Beach and within the broader South Florida region. The investigation and official records regarding her death remain separate from the allegations and civil litigation involving Henry.
Google Maps: Hobe Sound, Florida — approximate location
If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
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