Gypsy Rose Blanchard said she is in "disbelief" after news broke that Ken Urker, her partner and the father of her daughter, had died – saying she believed it was an overdose.
Blanchard, who gained global prominence after being convicted for the murder of her mother in 2015, told PEOPLE: “I don’t know if it was intentional or not.
“He was not in a good state of mind lately.”
Blanchard called Urker a loyal father and the love of her life.
“Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved. He will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase,” she told PEOPLE.
“Above all, Ken loved our daughter, Aurora. She is a beautiful reflection of his enduring spirit, and through her, a part of him will always remain with us."
Throughout their relationship, both Blanchard and Urker faced intense public scrutiny, which she revealed had a major impact on him.
Criticising online commentary, Blanchard highlighted the effects that public opinion can have on people, and urged media users to think about the consequences of their words.
“Ken endured an unimaginable level of public scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying across social media platforms, including TikTok and Reddit. 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.”
PEOPLE reported Urker died on his 34th birthday on October 1 after being found by a family member at his house in Louisiana.
Blanchard and Urker were first linked while Blanchard was imprisoned for murder, and the pair began an on-again-off-again relationship which involved an engagement and subsequent breakups.
The couple reconciled in 2024, months after Blanchard was released from prison and announced her divorce from former husband Ryan Anderson.
They welcomed their daughter Aurora Raina Urker eight months later in December, 2024.
Blanchard was 23 when she was arrested, pleading guilty to second-degree murder after her mother Dee Dee was stabbed to death.
Blanchard has said her mother abused her for years, falsely presenting her as seriously sick, making her use a wheelchair, and coercing her to undergo unnecessary medical treatments.
Her then-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn admitted to stabbing Dee Dee. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role.
Blanchard was released from prison in 2023.
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