In the years leading up to Jennifer Eckhart's suicide death at 36, she was engulfed in a sexual misconduct lawsuit against former Fox News host Ed Henry.
The “REINVENTED” podcast host was found dead by her mother in the bathtub of her Florida home Saturday, Sept. 19. According to a Martin County Sheriff's Office incident report obtained by USA TODAY, Eckhart had "a large laceration to the front of her throat/neck and there was a folding pocketknife next to her right hand."
Sheriff John M. Budensiek told USA TODAY in a statement Sept. 21 that "the circumstances were determined to be consistent with suicide."
Eckhart started her career as an associate producer at Fox Business Network in 2013 but was fired from the role in 2020. Months later, she
accused Henry of rape and other sexual misconduct during their time working together, which made headlines across the nation.
Here is what to know about the legal battle.
What did Jennifer Eckhart accuse Ed Henry of doing?
On June 25, 2020, Fox News received a complaint from an attorney for a former employee – later identified as Eckhart – regarding "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace years ago" by Henry. The following month, Eckhart and a colleague sued Henry and the network.
In the lawsuit, Eckhart said Henry forced her to perform oral sex in a guest office on the 17th floor of the Fox News building in September 2015.
She alleged Henry later raped her in a New York hotel room "sometime in 2017," which "left her injured, bruised and battered with bloody wrists." He also allegedly took pictures of her on his cellphone.
"Ms. Eckhart did not consent to any part of this violent, painful rape," the suit said.
When did Fox News fire Jennifer Eckhart and Ed Henry?
When Fox News received Eckhart's complaint in June 2020, Henry was suspended and an outside law firm was "immediately retained" to "independently investigate the claims," Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace told USA TODAY at the time.
The then-co-anchor of "America's Newsroom" was ultimately terminated on July 1, 2020, based on the findings of the investigation.
Eckhart was informed weeks prior in June that her employment would be ending that month. According to federal court records, Fox attributed its decision to performance issues, including repeated tardiness and failure to comply with a performance improvement plan.
Eckhart disputed the network’s explanation and alleged she was fired in retaliation for raising concerns about harassment and a toxic workplace. A federal judge later dismissed Eckhart’s retaliation claim, finding that the evidence did not show Fox’s reasons for termination were fabricated or a pretext for retaliation.
How did Ed Henry respond to the allegations and his firing?
Henry has long denied any wrongdoing. At the time of Eckhart's lawsuit, he admitted they had engaged in sexual activity, including an encounter inside Fox’s New York offices, but maintained that their relationship was consensual.
In a statement to USA TODAY, his attorney said Eckhart had “initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship,” and argued that photographs and sexually suggestive messages exchanged between them contradicted her allegations.
“The MeToo movement has helped to bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard. This is not one of those cases," the statement said.
Henry also took separate legal action following his termination. In 2021, he filed defamation lawsuits against Fox News, CEO Suzanne Scott and journalists associated with CNN and NPR, arguing that statements and coverage about his firing falsely portrayed him as a sex criminal.
His case against CNN and NPR was voluntarily dismissed in 2022, while a judge dismissed his claims against Fox and Scott for failing to state a viable claim.
Ed Henry faced additional sexual misconduct allegations
Cathy Areu, a former frequent Fox guest as a news analyst, was part of the July 2020 lawsuit against Henry, whom she accused of sexual harassment. She said in the filing that he sent her "a slew of wildly inappropriate sexual images and messages – which are in her possession" through the first half of 2020.
In his response, filed in October 2020, Henry alleged Areu made the "flimsy and baseless claims" because Fox declined to hire her for a position at the network. He further argued Areu quoted only "selective examples" of their messages. Areu's claims were dismissed in September 2021.
Multiple times throughout the lawsuit, Eckhart said Henry was accused of sexual misconduct by several others, which she alleged Fox executives knew about but failed to address.
In the initial filing, her lawyers said, "Fox News continues to protect and reward perpetrators of sexual harassment and refuses to take accountability for putting such persons in positions of power from which they can subject women to sexual misconduct, sexual assault and, in the case of Ms. Eckhart, rape."
The network denied knowing of any sexual misconduct by Henry before this year. “There were not sexual harassment claims against Ed Henry at Fox News prior to Jennifer Eckhart’s claim on June 25, 2020,” the network said in a 2020 statement.
In a 2024 filing, Eckhart again cited past incidents, including an alleged affair between Henry and a Las Vegas stripper in May 2016, which led to a suspension from his job and treatment for sex addiction. When he returned to work in 2017, Eckhart alleged Henry sexually assaulted another unnamed Fox News staffer, who provided sworn testimony as part of Eckhart’s case.
Henry denied the allegations.
How did Jennifer Eckhart’s lawsuit against Ed Henry end?
In March 2025, a federal court dismissed Eckhart's claims against Fox News, finding that the network did not know about the alleged conduct. In June of that year, Eckhart and Henry reached a settlement in the case, ending proceedings entirely.
“This has been an exhaustive, retraumatizing, five-year legal battle with incredible challenges that at times I almost felt was unable to bear,” Eckhart said in a statement to People. “With this settlement in place, a weight has now been lifted from my shoulders and my passion to support fellow trauma survivors has been renewed.”
After leaving Fox, Eckhart went on to start The Reinvented Project, a nonprofit aimed at helping trauma survivors through animal-assisted therapy. She also launched a podcast by the same name.
How Jennifer Eckhart’s former Fox colleagues are reacting to her death
Former Fox News personalities remembered Eckhart for her strength and willingness to speak publicly about her allegations against Henry and the network after news of her death broke.
“It takes immense courage to come forward about any kind of sexual misconduct and the mental toll of displaying such bravery cannot be underestimated,” former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, co-founder of Lift Our Voices, said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. “Jennifer was a warrior who never gave up on her fight for justice and she served as an inspiration to many others.”
NewsNation reporter Diana Falzone, a former Fox News host who covered Eckhart’s lawsuit for years, remembered her for her “courage, candor and strength.”
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Jennifer Eckhart,” Falzone said. “I had the privilege of knowing Jennifer. I will remember her for her courage, candor and strength. My heart is with all those who loved her during this devastating time. May she rest in peace.”
Julie Roginsky, a former Fox News contributor and co-founder of Lift Our Voices, said Eckhart’s death underscored the effect workplace sexual misconduct can have on survivors.
“Jen Eckhart’s tragic death underscores the devastating effects of workplace sexual misconduct on survivors,” Roginsky said. “Jennifer was a strong, courageous woman who inspired many others struggling with unthinkable workplace toxicity. Her loss is tragic and must serve as a reminder of the devastating toll workplace toxicity takes on those who have the misfortune to experience it.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about Jennifer Eckhart's rape allegations against Ed Henry
