Lauren Bennett’s death has been ruled a suicide following an inquest hearing.
Bennett, 36, was found dead on May 29 near her home in Kent, England, after her husband Kenny Wormald and her father used the Find My iPhone feature to locate her in a nearby wooded area. The singer, best known for her vocals on LMFAO’s 2011 smash “Party Rock Anthem,” had left the house around 9 a.m. For a walk while Wormald was still asleep, according to what he told police. An inquest determined she took her own life, with the hearing revealing she had been struggling with mental health challenges that worsened after a Fragile X syndrome diagnosis.
Fragile X syndrome is an inherited intellectual and developmental disability caused by a genetic mutation. The inquest heard that Bennett’s mental health had declined following this diagnosis, and that medical professionals had been involved in her care during the months before her death.
Her father spoke out about those failures in a written statement, saying: “We have no suspicions regarding the circumstances of her death. Only deep disappointment that, for five months, medical professionals failed to treat her appropriately during her time of greatest need.”
Bennett’s path to global recognition began in 2009 when she joined the Paradiso Girls. Her breakthrough came two years later when she featured alongside LMFAO and GoonRock on “Party Rock Anthem,” which became one of the defining hits of 2011 and spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. She later joined the girl group G.R.L. In 2013, though the project ended in tragedy when bandmate Simone Battle died by suicide in 2014.
The group confirmed Bennett’s death on Instagram in May, posting: “It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren.” The tribute continued in a separate post: “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.”
The band added: “Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives, and she will be deeply missed and forever loved.”
Bennett and Wormald had been living in Los Angeles after their marriage before relocating to Kent several years later. The couple’s move back to England placed her near the wooded area where she was ultimately found.
The inquest’s suicide ruling follows months of public mourning from fans and fellow musicians who remembered Bennett for her distinctive voice and energetic presence on one of the decade’s biggest party anthems. “Party Rock Anthem” remains a staple of 2010s pop culture, having sold millions of copies worldwide and racked up billions in streaming equivalent units.
The original incident that prompted this coverage was Bennett’s death on May 29, which was first reported as an unexplained passing before the inquest established the official cause. Her husband’s account to police described the morning she left for a walk and never returned, prompting the search that led to the discovery in the woodland near their Kent home.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website