Singer Lauren Bennett died at the age of 36 after telling her husband she was going for a walk. An inquest this week confirmed that she died by suicide.
Discovery and Inquest Details
Bennett, who topped the charts with the global hit "Party Rock Anthem" alongside the duo LMFAO, was found dead in the woods after telling her husband, Kenny Wormald, that she was going walking. She was discovered by Kenny and her father, Richard.
At the time of her death, Bennett was in the care of "special mental health services" and had been experiencing "substantial psychological suffering" since being sectioned four months earlier. Assistant coroner Jyoti Gill ruled a verdict of suicide and said Bennett "continued to report symptoms of distress regarding the effects of the prescribed medication" and had a meeting with mental health services days before her death.
Circumstances of the Death
Kent and Medway Coroners' Court was told on May 29 that Bennett told Kenny she was going for a walk at around 9am. When she failed to return, he and her father Richard went looking for her using the Find My Phone feature and found her body in a nearby area of woodland.
The court heard Bennett was diagnosed with a genetic condition, Fragile X syndrome, which causes a wide range of issues including cognitive impairment and learning difficulties.
Career and Tributes
Bennett's father, Richard, told the inquest his daughter had lived an "amazing life" after signing a record deal at just 17 and moving to the US from Kent, England, on her own.
Throughout her career, the mum-of-one first found success with the girl group Paradiso Girls, whose 2009 single "Patron Tequila" featured Lil Jon and charted in the US and Canada before the group split the following year. Bennett went on to feature on "Party Rock Anthem" with LMFAO and GoonRock, one of the biggest hits of 2011, which topped charts in the UK, the US, Canada, Ireland and Australia.
In 2013, she joined G.R.L., formed by producer Robin Antin after her success in forming the Pussycat Dolls; however, the group disbanded after the suicide of bandmate Simone Battle. Bennett returned when G.R.L. reunited with new bandmates in 2016 and again in 2020.
In a joint statement, the group said: "It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren. Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us. We will forever cherish the love, laughter, and countless memories she gave us. Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives, and she will be deeply missed and forever loved." They concluded: "Rest peacefully, sweet Lauren. You will always be in our hearts."
