Why Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker broke up before his death

Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ken Urker had ended their relationship about a month before his death.

A source close to the pair has confirmed that the couple officially broke up a month ago, after living apart for about two months, Page Six reported. 

"It was nothing nasty," the source said. "It was just a mutual agreement." The source said the split came because of Urker's mental health struggles. They tried to work things out for a while, then agreed to part on good terms.

"She missed him. She wanted him back, obviously, and he just wasn't in the right frame of mind." Friends hoped he would get therapy, the source added.

The two stayed close as co-parents of their daughter, Aurora, born in December 2024. She lived with Blanchard on weekdays, and Urker had her every other weekend. They talked every few days to check in on Aurora and sometimes used FaceTime. The source called Urker the "best" father. Two weeks ago, the source checked in on him, and he said, "I'm surviving right now."

Urker died Thursday at his Louisiana home, on his 34th birthday. Officials told Page Six he was "found dead upon arrival." 

The investigation is continuing, and they have found no evidence of foul play, even though a handgun was found in the home, per a police report. 

However, deputies also found drug paraphernalia.

In a statement to People, Blanchard claimed he died of a suspected overdose, though authorities have not confirmed a cause of death.

Urker and Blanchard met in 2017 while she was in prison over involvement in the murder of her mother. They got engaged in 2018, then split. She married Ryan Scott Anderson in 2022, and they broke up two years later. She then reunited with Urker.