Tragic Case of Columbia Graduate’s Death After Job Loss

A graduate from Columbia University and former NASA intern reportedly took her own life after a major tech company, MongoDB, stopped her benefits while she was on mental health leave, according to her parents’ lawsuit.

Annie Thurman experienced “anxiety and depression due to extreme work stress” while working as a technical program manager at MongoDB until her termination in August 2024, as stated in court documents from Manhattan Supreme Court.

Her parents allege that, just a month after losing her job, Thurman, 28, overdosed on drugs that she had ordered online.

Originally from California, Annie was a bright science enthusiast who had supported NASA, interning on the Mars Rover Project and conducting neuroscience research at Columbia Medical Center before joining MongoDB in 2021.

The family claims that her mental health significantly declined during her time at the company.

“Annie frequently communicated with her parents about her struggles, mentioning her inability to leave bed for days and expressing thoughts of wanting to die,” they noted in the lawsuit.

Once a high achiever, her deteriorating condition made it hard for her to handle basic tasks like getting out of bed or socializing, her family explained.

She took a month of sick leave starting in April 2024.

Allegedly, the company initially agreed to extend her leave until September 2024, but on July 31, they unexpectedly requested her to return to work the following week.

On that same day, MongoDB ended Annie’s health insurance, fully aware that she was undergoing vital ketamine treatment for her depression, which could help her return to work in a few weeks.

“The timing of the company’s actions was particularly cruel, as Annie was just starting new treatments and had begun to feel hopeful about her recovery,” her parents stated in court filings.

Thurman’s family emphasized that they had made it clear to the company that they didn’t need to pay her or hold her job; they simply asked for her to not be dismissed while she was vulnerable.

Despite the family’s requests, she was terminated on August 8, 2024.

Annie reached out to her mother, who was in New Jersey, telling her about the email she received regarding her departure and how it upset her.

According to the lawsuit, her mother hurried to Annie’s apartment just before she attempted to take her life through an overdose, although the specific drug was not identified.

She was later admitted to a psychiatric hospital, with her parents covering the costs.

However, on September 13, 2024, she tried to end her life again, “ashamed of being fired from MongoDB,” as detailed in the complaint.

Desperate, Thurman called 911 after realizing her mistake, but she passed away on the way to the hospital.

Her father learned about her death while alone in a taxi, unable to comfort his wife who was crying in the background.

In a heart-wrenching note, Thurman expressed her love and sorrow, stating, “To those who need to know, I love you. I love you. I’m sorry. I love you.”

Following her passing, MongoDB reportedly retracted an offer to reinstate her life insurance and the family believes her termination was strategically timed before the company’s mass layoffs to avoid paying severance.

“Even after Annie’s death, MongoDB continued to act in cruel ways towards her family,” the complaint asserts.

The family’s attorney noted that Annie had no prior mental health issues before working at MongoDB.

“When she joined Mongo, she was mentally healthy,” Kristin Dunn, the attorney for the Thurman family, commented.

No comment has been received from MongoDB regarding the situation.