Arizona Passes Law Targeting Online Encouragement of Teen Suicide

New 'Cade's Law' allows prosecutors to charge adults who use targeted online messages to advise or encourage minors to die by suicide.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 1:04am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up of a smartphone screen showing a social media post with a suicide threat, captured in stark, gritty detail under harsh flash lighting, conceptually representing the crisis of online encouragement of teen suicide.A new Arizona law aims to hold adults accountable for using online platforms to target and encourage minors to die by suicide.Phoenix Today

Arizona has passed a new law, known as 'Cade's Law: If You See Something Say Something,' that gives prosecutors the authority to charge adults who use direct online messages, posts, or other targeted content to advise or encourage a minor to die by suicide. The law is named after 16-year-old Cade Keller, who took his own life in 2022 after posting his plans on social media, with no one calling for help.

Why it matters

Teen suicide is a major crisis, with suicide being the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10-24. This new law aims to hold adults accountable if they knowingly use online platforms to target and encourage minors to take their own lives, in an effort to prevent such tragedies.

The details

The new 'Cade's Law' extends existing Arizona laws that already punish those who provide the physical means for another person to die by suicide. The new legislation allows prosecutors to charge adults who use direct messages, posts, or other targeted online content to advise or encourage a specific minor to take their own life.

  • The law was signed by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs in April 2026.
  • It was named after 16-year-old Cade Keller, who died by suicide in March 2022 after posting his plans on social media.

The players

Katie Hobbs

The Governor of Arizona who signed 'Cade's Law' into law in 2026.

Pamela Carter

The Republican state representative from Arcadia who sponsored House Bill 2665, known as 'Cade's Law.'

Cade Keller

The 16-year-old Arizona teen who died by suicide in 2022 after posting his plans on social media, inspiring the new law.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Teen suicide is a crisis, and we cannot ignore it. Cade Keller was only 16. He loved welding and had plans to attend Mesa Community College. Then his life was cut short. Cade posted online that he planned to take his life. People saw it. No one called 911. No one got an adult. Cade died.”

— Pamela Carter, State Representative

“If you see warning signs, do not wait. Make the call. Get help. Step in.”

— Pamela Carter, State Representative

What’s next

The new 'Cade's Law' will go into effect immediately, allowing prosecutors in Arizona to charge adults who use online messages to encourage minors to die by suicide.

The takeaway

This new law in Arizona represents a significant step forward in addressing the growing crisis of teen suicide, by holding adults accountable if they knowingly use online platforms to target and encourage minors to take their own lives. It serves as a powerful reminder that we all have a responsibility to intervene and get help when we see the warning signs of suicide.