Pop singer Simone Battle, 25, was found dead in her West Hollywood home on Friday, September 5th. The death was ruled a suicide by hanging, according to a Los Angeles County coroner.
Cause of death was determined two days after Battle’s body was discovered by her boyfriend in the closet of their shared apartment. He was the last to see her alive, around 3:45 AM, according to Asst. Chief Coroner Ed Winter.
Battle was a finalist on the popular music competition series, “The X Factor,” in 2011. She was one of five singers in G.R.L., an all-female group made to replace the Pussycat Dolls in 2013. G.R.L. was signed by influential producer Dr. Luke, and had also performed on ABC’s “Good Morning America” just last month. The group had launched its debut single, “Ugly Heart,” in June with the help of American rapper Pitbull, and was featured on his Billboard Hot 100 song “Wild Wild Love” earlier this year.
“My heart and prayers go out to @GRLSimone: @grl and her family. RIP Dios la bendiga,” Pitbull tweeted last Saturday.
The G.R.L. Twitter account also posted shortly afterward: “Words cannot express the depth of our loss. Simone’s incredible talent was only surpassed by the size of her heart.”
(With reports from Yahoo News, CNN.)