Mindy McCready Found Dead, Apparent Suicide

Mindy McCready, a once promising country star crippled by drug abuse and mental illness, was found dead in her Herber Springs, Ark., home on Feb. 17. She was 37.

In the past couple of months, McCready had twice found herself under unfortunate spotlights – once in the aftermath of her boyfriend David Wilson's suicide, and again just last week when her father petitioned to have her children removed from her care. She appears to have ended her life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

After the sound of gunshots was reported near McCready’s home on Sunday, deputies from the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the location, according to the sheriff office’s statement. McCready’s lifeless body was then found on her front porch. Her dog also appeared to have been shot dead, according to TMZ.

McCready had long battled with addiction and mental illness. She had spent time in treatment facilities, and had twice before attempted suicide, according to Fox News. In 2010, McCready appeared in season 5 of “Celebrity Rehab” with Dr. Andrew Pinsky. “When I heard she was struggling, I did reach out to her and urged her to go take care of herself, get in a facility if she felt she needed," said Pinsky, according to CNN. McCready is the fifth celebrity who has died since appearing on the show.

While McCready had not produced a hit in over ten years, she made a lasting impression on the country music industry. Her first album, 10,000 Angels in 1996, produced her chart-topping hit “Guys Do It All the Time.” "I grew up listening to Mindy McCready,” tweeted Grammy winner Carrie Underwood. “So sad for her family tonight. Many prayers are going out to them.”

McCready is survived by her two sons, Zander, 6, and Zayne, 9 months.

—Chelsea Regan