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Gypsy Rose Blanchard has started a petition to combat online harassment after the death of her fiancé and father of her child, Ken Urker.
Urker was found dead at his Louisiana home on Thursday, the day of his 34th birthday. A cause of death has not been revealed pending an ongoing investigation.
On Sunday, Blanchard, 35, created a petition for “Kenan’s Law” to help combat online harassment and cyberbullying. She claimed that Urker had faced “an overwhelming amount of online scrutiny” before his death.
“Reports were made across multiple platforms, and far too often, the response was simply: ‘No violation,’” she said in an Instagram post.
“Kenan’s Law is about changing the way social-media platforms handle repeated reports of harassment. This is not about silencing criticism or taking away anyone’s freedom of speech. Public figures can and should be criticized, but public figures are still human beings, and fame should never erase someone’s humanity.”
Blanchard said that Urker’s death had made her “determined to turn pain into purpose.”
“I cannot change what happened, but I can advocate for a better system for the next person who feels like no one is listening. Please sign and share the petition to support Kenan’s Law,” she said.
The Change.org petition has received more than 900 signatures at the time of writing.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a statement shared with The Independent that police found Urker dead at his Louisiana home after receiving a call at 6:15 p.m. Thursday. Investigators found him next to “a brown powdery substance,” a syringe, handgun and two shot glasses.
“At this time, we are continuing the death investigation,” a police spokesperson said. “To this point, we have discovered no signs of foul play.”
“Ken was an amazing father and a man who was deeply loved,” Gypsy said in a Thursday night statement to TMZ. “He will forever be my soulmate and my red string, a connection that time, distance, and even death can never erase.”
She told People that Urker was subjected to intense online harassment about their relationship.
“Ken endured an unimaginable level of public scrutiny and relentless cyberbullying across social media platforms, including TikTok and Reddit,” she told the outlet. “The cruelty directed toward him was something no human being should have to endure.”
Blanchard and Urker began their relationship as pen pals when she was serving nearly eight years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for her role in the death of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, in 2015.
Urker proposed in October 2018, but the couple later called off their engagement. Blanchard married Ryan Anderson in 2022, but announced their split four months after her release from prison and reconciled with Urker shortly after in April 2024.
Blanchard and Urker welcomed their daughter, Aurora Raina Urker, in December 2024.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
