Until just a few months ago, Eugenia Cooney was a well-known—if highly controversial—online influencer. Recently, however, she has become the subject of a mystery that is captivating internet users.

Less than a month ago, on July 27, Cooney turned 31. Yet she did not post an excited birthday message or share any celebration photos. In fact, her last post was in late June, almost two months ago. Her followers, already worried about her due to her eating disorder issues, now not only fear for her safety but believe she has died—and even more: that her family is concealing it. While this speculation may seem strange, Cooney’s entire story is troubling and unsettling.

Cooney began her online career at 17, in 2011, posting YouTube videos focused mainly on clothing, beauty, and cosplay. Her warm personality and unique emo-goth style attracted a large, loyal audience to her channel, which grew to over two million subscribers. She later expanded to Instagram, amassing 749,000 followers, and TikTok, with 2.8 million followers and 28.6 million likes.

Over time, more and more viewers began to feel something was wrong. Cooney appeared alarmingly thin, prompting concerned, mocking, and even hostile comments accusing her of promoting eating disorders to her followers. While she never explicitly encouraged such behavior, critics argued that simply looking at her sent that message. They labeled it “Thinspiration”—a blend of the words “thin” and “inspiration.”

Cooney did not ignore the criticism. “To all those angry at me, I’m sorry,” she said in one of her videos. “I’m not trying to be bad, and I have never tried to negatively influence anyone or encourage people to be like me. I wish people would be less mean and more positive. Thank you to everyone who cares about me.”

The discussion intensified, and over 53,000 people signed a petition to have her banned from social media. “We believe the only way she will seek help is if she is removed from public platforms,” wrote the petition organizers. “Until she decides to address her eating disorder directly, it is irresponsible and selfish to allow her to keep posting content to an audience of millions, many of them young and impressionable.”

Some commenters shared personal stories. “My niece developed an eating disorder and lost 8 kilograms because she wanted to look like Eugenia. She is currently receiving medical treatment, and she’s only 12!” wrote one. Others addressed Cooney directly, pleading with her to seek help.

Her Discord community also came under fire after some young members reported that older channel moderators had harassed them and instructed them on how to lose weight to look like the influencer. “Her community harms minors and anyone dealing with challenges, whether eating disorders or other issues,” one person told Business Insider. In response, Cooney shut down the channel, claiming she had no knowledge of any problematic or illegal actions by the moderators she had appointed. “It disgusts me that people think I would defend criminals. I would never do that, and I oppose any such behavior. It is not something I would support.”

This disappearance is not her first. In 2019, after dropping to 38 kilograms, she vanished for several months. It was later revealed she had been in a psychiatric facility, either voluntarily or involuntarily, depending on the account. “People made videos about me and talked about my body, and it affected me badly. My condition worsened—and I didn’t try to stop it,” she said.

She returned to social media six months later, “ready again for the online world,” and was featured in a YouTube documentary that has since garnered 34 million views. In it, she acknowledged for the first time: “I struggled with eating issues, but I learned that anyone can experience that and deal with it differently. I guess it’s like smoking—people know they need to quit and might have better periods, but it’s hard to stop completely and help yourself.”

She explained her situation further: “In school, I faced a lot of bullying, and when people are so mean to you, it makes insecurity worse. I started losing weight without really realizing it. I didn’t think it was a problem. Only after I started my channel did people make videos about me and talk about my body, and it affected me badly. My condition worsened, and I didn’t try to stop it.”

While some praised her openness, others argued: “It’s good she’s speaking about it, but instead of appearing in YouTube films, she should focus on her recovery.”

In August 2019, she gave a major interview to Paper magazine, but on the topic of anorexia said only: “Tens of millions of people deal with similar things, but people expected me to openly talk about it and share my problems with the internet.”

Claire Mysko, CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association, urged compassion: “She has received a lot of criticism over this issue, but I commend her and those who support her. We must remember she is only human and needs time to take care of herself.”

Unfortunately, the treatment she received did not bring significant change. Her condition did not improve, and videos she uploaded at such a low weight led to her being banned from Twitch. TikTok also restricted search results related to her and redirected followers to organizations combating eating disorders.

Many viewers blamed her parents, claiming they not only failed to help her but forced her to remain underweight. In one livestream with her mother, Debra, someone asked: “How can you let your daughter get into this state?” Debra replied: “I know she eats, she takes care of herself. I was this thin too.” One commenter responded: “Debra, what you allowed to happen to your daughter is a crime! I hope you go to prison for a long time for letting her deteriorate and live like this. It was your responsibility as a mother to get her help and protect her. Signed, a recovered anorexic with parents who cared.”

TikToker Noah Glenn Carter directed his 9.6 million followers to a video in which Cooney tried to leave her house but encountered a locked door and a ringing alarm that brought her mother to her.

Shortly before her disappearance, user Anna Thorne tweeted to thousands of followers: “I bet it’s related to her mother. Wherever she goes—her mother is with her, and when she’s not nearby, she’s in her room promoting products for money. She lives with her mother despite being 30, and her mother profits from her, so of course she’ll want to keep her in this state as long as possible. Her mother has no job and makes all her money through Eugenia.”

Thorne added: “She lives in a little girl’s room, always dressing up and surrounded by stuffed animals, and has never expressed a real opinion or criticism about anything. Someone who behaves like an innocent child in their 30s almost never does so consciously. It suggests abuse, with the mind seeking comfort to escape the pain of reality.” She also compared Cooney to Gypsy Blanchard, whose mother Dee Dee abused her and forced her to pretend she was terminally ill.

Some followers speculated Cooney was signaling distress with her hands. Others were so concerned they called the police to check on her. Brent Reeves, police captain in Greenwich, Connecticut, where Cooney and her family live, told TMZ in 2023 that they had received worried calls from around the world, including New Zealand and Egypt, but insisted there was no cause for concern. He said he had known Eugenia for over a decade, claimed she was fine, and denied allegations her mother was abusive. He added he could not force her to eat, but that “her mental state is good.”

The turning point came in May this year. She appeared thinner than ever, struggled to speak, and couldn’t even close a zipper on her bag. During a livestream, she began shaking and stammering and had to pause. Looking frightened, she told viewers: “The pressure is getting to me too much, I’m going to disconnect now.”

Afterward, some claimed she had a heart attack on camera, while others believed it was a panic attack. Whatever it was, it was certainly alarming. A few days later, she posted another video saying everything was fine but offered no details.

Last month, after a long silence, rumors spread that Cooney had died. They began when someone claiming to be a neighbor said that on the night of July 12, they saw a “body bag” being removed from the house and placed in an ambulance.

The rumors exploded, and fake death reports fueled confusion. These were later removed from social media, but the damage had already been done. Fans speculated further, some suggesting her last June videos were old recordings. In one from a trip to Disney, she wrote: “A quiet and magical moment before the goodbye”—a phrase that became chilling in light of recent events.

Many online have reached the grim conclusion that Eugenia is no longer alive. Others are more optimistic, hoping she is simply undergoing treatment. “She disappeared for six months once before, so maybe she’s getting help,” one hopeful follower noted. Another wrote: “I hope she suddenly comes back posting in great condition, with 10 kilos more.”

Some claim it is nothing more than a bid for attention. “She’ll come back soon with hair extensions, saying: ‘I’m so sorry, guys, I was away for a bit, but I’m back,’” one commenter suggested. Another wondered: “Haven’t we been through this before?” to which someone replied: “It happens every time she’s inactive online.”

For now, all her videos are filled with new comments—some worried, some angry—and it seems there is nothing to do but wait until the mystery is solved, hopefully with Eugenia showing signs of life and being healthy once again.