- Annie Surman, a 28-year-old Columbia graduate and former NASA intern, worked at MongoDB and contributed to Mars Rover research.
- Her parents allege MongoDB abruptly canceled her health coverage and demanded her return during medical leave, exacerbating her severe depression.
- Surman texted her mother after being fired August 8, survived an initial suicide attempt, then died September 13 after a second attempt.
- The lawsuit seeks damages from MongoDB, alleging the company fired her to avoid severance and worsened her mental-health crisis.
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK – A brilliant young mind who once helped NASA explore Mars has been extinguished in a tragedy that has sparked a high-stakes lawsuit. The parents of a 28-year-old Columbia University graduate claim that a $35 billion tech company drove their daughter to suicide by ruthlessly cutting her lifeline during a mental health crisis.
A Star Burnt Out
Annie Surman was described as magnetic and engaging before she joined the data storage company MongoDB in 2021. The California native was a science wizard who had conducted neuroscience research at Columbia Medical Center and worked on the Mars Rover project.
However, her family claims in court documents that the extreme work stress at the company caused her mental state to deteriorate rapidly. The once high achiever became unable to complete basic daily functions, like brushing her teeth or getting out of bed, for days at a time.
A Cruel Reversal
Surman took a medical leave in April 2024, and the company initially agreed to extend her absence through September. However, the lawsuit alleges that MongoDB abruptly changed course on July 31 and demanded she return the following week.
On that same day, the company canceled her health coverage despite knowing she was undergoing potentially life-saving Ketamine treatment for her depression. Her parents stated that the timing was especially cruel, as Annie was just beginning to believe there was hope for her recovery.
The Final Blow
Her father made a plea to the company, asking them not to fire her while she was in such a vulnerable state, but his requests were ignored. On August 8, the company fired her. Surman texted her mother that she felt sick upon receiving the departure email.
Her mother rushed to the apartment and saved Annie from a suicide attempt that day, but the reprieve was temporary. On September 13, Surman attempted suicide again using a drug she ordered online, citing the shame she felt at being fired.
She apparently regretted the decision and called 911 herself, but she died on the way to the hospital. Her father was in a taxi when he received the call and could hear the screams of his wife in the background.
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