The news comes several years after Eckhart became widely known beyond the television industry because of a highly publicized legal battle involving former Fox News anchor Ed Henry.
Before that chapter of her life, Eckhart had spent years building a career in television journalism.
She worked as an associate producer for Fox Business Network from 2013 until 2020 and had previously worked with organizations including ESPN Radio and PBS affiliate WUFT-TV.
In 2020, Eckhart filed a lawsuit accusing Henry of rape and other sexual misconduct.
She alleged that Henry sexually assaulted her while they were both working at Fox and that she feared his position and influence could damage her career if she resisted him.
Speaking publicly about the allegations that year, Eckhart described feeling “paralyzed by fear” while working at the network.
Henry denied Eckhart’s allegations and maintained that their relationship had been consensual.
Fox News fired Henry in July 2020 after receiving Eckhart’s complaint and conducting an outside investigation.
Eckhart’s lawsuit also named Fox News as a defendant, alleging that the network had failed to protect her.
In March 2025, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams dismissed Fox News from the case, concluding that the evidence did not establish that network management knew or should have known about Henry’s alleged conduct before Eckhart came forward.
That decision was subsequently upheld on appeal.
Eckhart’s legal dispute with Henry continued separately.
The two ultimately reached a settlement in June 2025, bringing an end to a legal battle that had lasted approximately five years.
After the settlement, Eckhart spoke candidly about how difficult the process had been.
She described the case as an exhausting and retraumatizing experience but said reaching a resolution had lifted a significant weight from her shoulders.
Rather than disappearing from public life, Eckhart increasingly turned her attention toward helping other people who had experienced trauma.
She founded The Reinvented Project, an organization focused on supporting trauma survivors through animal-assisted healing.
She also created and hosted the podcast REINVENTED with Jen Eckhart.
The series focused on people whose lives had taken unexpected turns and how they rebuilt themselves following setbacks, personal challenges or major changes.
Guests came from entertainment, business, sports and other fields, sharing stories about overcoming difficult periods and finding new directions in their lives.
For Eckhart, the idea of reinvention was deeply personal.
After her lengthy legal battle, she spoke about attempting to transform painful experiences into something that could support other survivors.
“I turned pain into purpose,” she said.
She also argued that survivors did not necessarily need a courtroom verdict to find strength or reclaim their lives.
That message became an important part of the work she pursued after leaving television news.
Her final Instagram post came on June 1.
After spending time away from social media, Eckhart told followers she was happy to be sharing again and indicated that she was working on new projects she was excited to reveal.
Her death at just 36 has now brought a sudden end to those plans.
Eckhart’s public life encompassed several very different chapters — from television journalism and producing to an intensely public legal battle, followed by podcasting and advocacy for people recovering from trauma.
In the final years of her life, she increasingly attempted to use her platform to give other people an opportunity to tell their own stories.
Jennifer Eckhart was 36.