Gypsy Rose Blanchard is responding to Ken Urker’s sister after several days of increasingly public accusations surrounding his death, while also revealing what she says Ken told her during their final phone conversation.
Blanchard acknowledged that there had been “significant tension” between herself and Autumn Urker well before Ken died at his Raceland, Louisiana, home on October 1. She said Autumn opposed their relationship and had criticized her publicly in the months leading up to his death.
“At this time, I do not want the focus surrounding Ken’s passing to become centered on negativity or disagreements between Autumn and me,” Blanchard told Us Weekly. She said her priorities are grieving Ken, supporting their daughter Aurora and preserving his memory.
Autumn is accusing Blanchard of misrepresenting their relationship status and details surrounding the discovery of his body. Police investigation has yet to establish an official cause of death.
Blanchard Says the Conflict With Autumn Predated Ken’s Death
“It is no secret that Autumn did not approve of Ken’s relationship with me, and there has been significant tension between us,” Blanchard told Us.
She also pushed back on Autumn’s claim that she had failed to communicate with Ken’s relatives. Blanchard said she remains in contact with his family and described those conversations, apart from her relationship with Autumn, as “positive and respectful during an incredibly painful time.”
Entertainment Weekly reported that Blanchard is trying to separate her grief over Ken’s death from the public disagreement with his sister.
She Says Ken Was ‘Deeply Distressed’ During Their Final Phone Call
“During my final phone conversation with Ken on Monday, September 28, he told me that he was deeply distressed by the situation,” she said, referring to the conflict involving Autumn.
According to Blanchard, Ken told her that Autumn had repeatedly threatened to “go harder” publicly and add to the negative attention he was already experiencing.
Blanchard herself emphasized the limits of what she could establish about that conversation. “Those were Ken’s statements to me, and I can only speak to what he personally communicated,” she told Us.
Autumn Disputes the Relationship Timeline and the Events Before Ken Was Found
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Autumn has challenged several parts of the public narrative surrounding her brother’s final weeks. In comments reported by Us Weekly, she claimed Ken and Blanchard’s romantic relationship had ended approximately a month before his death. She also disputed suggestions that they remained engaged or were planning another child.
Autumn additionally objected to early reports linking Blanchard’s unanswered birthday message to concern for Ken. She argued that the family welfare check developed independently of that text.
Anita Blanchard, Gypsy Rose’s sister-in-law, contacted authorities after Ken missed work and relatives were unable to reach him. Gypsy Rose’s half-brother Dylan Blanchard ultimately entered the home through an unlocked bedroom window and found Ken unresponsive.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that officers responded to the Raceland residence and found Ken dead upon arrival. The report describes the case as an ongoing death investigation.
Autumn has also accused Blanchard of failing to contact Ken’s family after his death. Blanchard disputes that broader characterization, saying her communication with relatives other than Autumn has remained respectful.
The Official Cause of Death Remains Pending Toxicology
Ken was found dead on October 1, his 34th birthday. Investigators documented drug paraphernalia at the residence, including syringes and a spoon beside a brown powdery substance, according to the police report obtained by PEOPLE.
Blanchard subsequently told PEOPLE that she believes Ken died from an overdose and said he had been struggling emotionally in the period before his death.
Lafourche Parish Coroner Kayla Breaux said an autopsy was completed on October 2, but the case remains pending toxicology testing and investigators have not released a definitive cause of death.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office separately told PEOPLE that investigators had found no evidence of foul play at that stage, while stressing that the investigation was continuing.
Blanchard Is Turning Her Attention to ‘Kenan’s Law’
Blanchard says she would rather use the attention surrounding Ken’s death to address online harassment than continue a public fight with his sister.
On October 4, she launched a petition for what she calls “Kenan’s Law,” an initiative aimed at changing how major social-media platforms respond to repeated reports of targeted harassment and cyberbullying.
“I only have my daughter and my voice,” Blanchard wrote, according to PEOPLE. She said Ken had experienced intense scrutiny online and argued that platforms should evaluate patterns of conduct instead of judging every reported post in isolation.
Blanchard said she has contacted a New Orleans lawyer to help refine the proposal. She characterized the initiative as an effort to strengthen reporting procedures, human review, appeals and evidence preservation rather than restrict criticism or free expression.
“I would much rather use my voice to focus on that work and on preserving Ken’s legacy than continue a public family dispute,” she told Us.
Ken and Blanchard share daughter Aurora, whom they welcomed in December 2024. Blanchard has said she intends to make sure Aurora grows up knowing how deeply her father loved her and remembering him beyond the online commentary that surrounded his final years.