Ken Urker, partner of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and father of their daughter, Aurora Raina, has died at the age of 34.
Urker was found unresponsive at a home in Raceland, Louisiana, on Thursday, October 1. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a residence at about 6:15pm.
Authorities confirmed that Urker was found dead at the scene. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.
Blanchard Says Urker Died After Overdose
Blanchard later spoke about Urker’s death in an interview with PEOPLE.
She said she believed he died following an apparent overdose. Blanchard said she did not know what substance he had taken or whether the overdose was intentional.
UNDP Warns Rising Energy Costs, El Niño Put Developing Economies Under Pressure
She also said Urker had recently been struggling.
“I don’t know if it was intentional or not,” Blanchard told PEOPLE. “He was not in a good state of mind lately.”
The apparent overdose has not been established as the official cause of death. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate.
Blanchard Remembers Urker
Blanchard described Urker as a loving father and said she was struggling to process his sudden death.
She also said he had faced intense public scrutiny and what she described as relentless cyberbullying on social media.
“The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure,” she said.
Blanchard said she wanted people to remember Urker for who he was rather than for the public attention surrounding their relationship.
She described him as her “soulmate” and said their connection would remain despite his death.
Urker and Blanchard Share Daughter
Urker and Blanchard were parents to daughter Aurora Raina Urker, who was born in December 2024.
Blanchard said Urker deeply loved their daughter.
She also asked the public to respect the privacy of Aurora and both families as they mourn.
Their Relationship
Blanchard and Urker first connected while she was serving a prison sentence. They later became engaged before separating.
Blanchard subsequently married Ryan Anderson. The marriage later ended.
She and Urker reunited in April 2024 after her separation from Anderson. They later welcomed their daughter together.
Urker’s death came on his 34th birthday. His sudden passing has prompted an outpouring of condolences as authorities continue their investigation.
