Former Fox News staffer and podcast host Jennifer Eckhart has died at age 36, according to authorities in Florida.
Eckhart was found dead inside her Martin County home Saturday morning, Sept. 19, according to an incident report obtained by PEOPLE.
Christine Christofek, a spokesperson for the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed that authorities ruled Eckhart’s death a suicide. Officials did not publicly disclose additional details surrounding her death.
Eckhart worked at Fox for seven years, including as an associate producer for Fox Business. Her media career also included work connected to Fox News and Fox Nation.
Born and raised in Miami, Eckhart previously worked as an ESPN Radio correspondent and an entertainment anchor for a local PBS affiliate in Gainesville, Florida.
She gained national attention in 2020 after filing a lawsuit accusing former Fox News anchor Ed Henry of rape and other sexual misconduct. Henry denied the allegations and maintained that their relationship had been consensual.
Fox News fired Henry in 2020 after receiving a complaint and conducting an internal investigation. The network said at the time that it acted quickly after learning about Eckhart’s claims and stated that it had not previously received sexual harassment allegations against Henry.
Eckhart’s lawsuit alleged that Henry used his position at the network to pressure and threaten her over several years. She accused him of taking compromising photographs and using potential damage to her career as leverage, according to People Magazine.
Fox News was eventually dismissed as a defendant from the lawsuit. Eckhart and Henry reached a settlement in 2025 following a legal battle that lasted approximately five years.
Henry’s firing did not constitute a legal finding that Eckhart’s allegations were true, and the lawsuit concluded through a settlement rather than a trial.
Following the settlement, Eckhart described the case as an “exhaustive” and “re-traumatizing” experience that had presented significant personal challenges.
She also said the resolution renewed her determination to support other trauma survivors.
“I turned pain into purpose,” Eckhart said while discussing the next stage of her work.
Eckhart subsequently established The Reinvented Project, a nonprofit organization that assists trauma survivors through animal-assisted therapy.
She also launched the podcast “REINVENTED with Jen Eckhart,” which focused on people who overcame personal and professional adversity. Guests included Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who discussed generational trauma, and former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg.
Eckhart said the podcast was intended to “give a voice to the voiceless” and provide survivors with a platform outside the courtroom.
Her final Instagram post was published June 1. Eckhart wrote that she was glad to return to social media and said she was working on “some exciting stuff” that she hoped to share.
Authorities have not publicly connected her death to the lawsuit, her former employment or any other specific event.
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or considering suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. The service is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.
