An inquest has ruled that Lauren Bennett, the British singer who featured on LMFAO's global hit Party Rock Anthem, died by suicide at the age of 36. The hearing took place at Oakwood House in Maidstone on Friday 30 October.
Assistant coroner Jyoti Gill recorded the cause of death as suicide. Toxicology reports showed no concerning substances, and police found no suspicious circumstances.
The inquest heard that Bennett had been struggling with her mental health since January. She had been diagnosed years earlier with Fragile X syndrome, an inherited developmental disability.
On 16 January, after suffering from prolonged insomnia, she was taken to Darent Valley Hospital and subsequently to Littlebrook Hospital. She was discharged on 23 January following a National Health Service (NHS) mental health assessment.
She reacted poorly to prescribed medication, and a doctor who saw her the day before her death noted she appeared anxious and was struggling to sleep. Bennett had been living in Los Angeles with her husband, the American reality TV star and actor Kenny Wormald, whom she married in 2019.
The couple has a daughter, and the family had recently moved back to Kent, staying at her father's home in Meopham. Wormald last saw her when she left home between 9am and 9.30am.
He and her father, Richard Bennett, began searching for her after midday. Bennett entered The X Factor as a teenager and moved to Los Angeles at 17 as part of the girl group Paradiso Girls, whose single Patron Tequila reached No. 3 on the US Dance Club Songs chart in 2009.
She featured on Party Rock Anthem in 2011, which Billboard named the fifth most successful song of all time after six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100. In 2014, she joined the group G.R.L., whose single Ugly Heart reached the UK Top 20.
The group disbanded in 2015. In a statement, G.R.L. said: "Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives, and she will be deeply missed and forever loved."
The tragic loss of such a vibrant talent has sent shockwaves through the music industry. Fans and colleagues alike have taken to social media to express their condolences, remembering her for her unique voice and contributions to pop culture.
Mental health advocates have also used this moment to highlight the importance of accessible support systems, noting that even those with successful careers can face profound personal battles behind the scenes.