Gypsy Rose Blanchard believes Ken Urker died of overdose as she mourns ‘soulmate’

Gypsy Rose Blanchard has broken her silence following the death of Ken Urker, saying she believes the father of her daughter died from an overdose.

Urker was found dead in bed at his home in Raceland, Louisiana, on October 1 — his 34th birthday.

Blanchard said she did not know whether the suspected overdose was accidental or intentional, but revealed that Urker had recently been struggling emotionally.

“I don’t know if it was intentional or not,” she told PEOPLE. “He was not in a good state of mind lately.”

“I’m in disbelief. I can’t think. I’ve screamed until my throat burns.”

An overdose has not been officially confirmed. An autopsy has been completed, but authorities said the cause and manner of death remain undetermined while toxicology testing is carried out.

Urker found dead at Louisiana home

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a residence in Raceland at approximately 6.15pm after relatives requested a welfare check.

Urker had reportedly failed to attend work and was not responding to telephone calls or knocks at his door.

He was found dead upon the deputies’ arrival.

According to an incident report, investigators documented syringes, a spoon and a brown powdery substance at the property. A holstered handgun was also found on a bedside table, although there was no apparent gunshot injury.

The items discovered at the scene do not establish how Urker died. Authorities said the death investigation remained open, with a final determination expected after toxicology results are available.

Blanchard calls Urker her ‘forever soulmate’

Blanchard remembered Urker as a devoted father to their daughter, Aurora Raina, who was born in December 2024.

“Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved,” she said.

“He will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase.”

Blanchard said there were no words capable of expressing the depth of her loss and requested privacy for Aurora and both families.

“He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten,” she added.

She also promised to ensure that Aurora grows up understanding how much her father loved her.

“Above all, Ken loved our daughter, Aurora,” Blanchard said. “She is a beautiful reflection of his enduring spirit, and through her, a part of him will always remain with us.”

“I will make sure she grows up knowing how deeply her father loved her and who he was beyond what strangers on the internet chose to say about him.”

Blanchard blames online harassment

Blanchard said Urker had faced intense public scrutiny and cyberbullying throughout their high-profile relationship.

She alleged that he was repeatedly attacked across social media platforms, including TikTok and Reddit, and believes that the harassment seriously affected him.

“The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure,” she said.

“I believe the tremendous weight of that scrutiny and harassment had a profound impact on him, and I hope his passing serves as a reminder that there is a real person behind every screen, every headline and every comment.”

Blanchard has since promoted a petition calling for stronger action against persistent online harassment. The proposed initiative, which she has referred to as “Kenan’s Law”, calls on social media platforms to recognise repeated patterns of abuse rather than assessing every post in isolation.

Relationship began while Blanchard was in prison

Urker first contacted Blanchard in 2017 after watching the HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest.

At the time, Blanchard was serving a prison sentence for her role in the 2015 murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard.

Their correspondence developed into a romantic relationship, and Urker proposed during a prison visit in October 2018.

They later ended their engagement and spent several years apart.

Blanchard married Ryan Anderson while she was incarcerated, but the marriage ended after her release from prison in December 2023.

She and Urker reconciled in April 2024 and welcomed Aurora eight months later.

Reports have offered conflicting accounts of their relationship status before Urker’s death, with members of his family claiming the couple had separated approximately one month earlier.

Regardless of their romantic status at the time, Blanchard described Urker as the love of her life and said their bond would continue through their daughter.

Authorities have not announced when the toxicology findings or official cause of death will be released.