Kate Spade’s death has been ruled a suicide by hanging, the Medical Examiner determined on Thursday.
NBC obtained the determination from the medical examiner regarding the iconic fashion designer’s death on June 5, 2018, in her New York City apartment. NYPD confirmed to Access on June 5 that Kate was found unresponsive in her apartment by her housekeeper. Authorities arrived and almost immediately ruled Kate as deceased. She was found hanging by a scarf in the bedroom of her Park Avenue apartment and had left behind a note addressed to her daughter, Bea.
Kate’s husband and business partner Andy Spade released a statement to NBC network on Wednesday regarding his wife’s death. He called her “the most beautiful woman in the world” and “the kindest person I’ve ever known.”
“My daughter and I are devastated by her loss, and can’t even begin to fathom life without her. We are deeply heartbroken and miss her already,” Andy wrote.
WATCH: Kate Spade’s Family Disagree Over Her Mental Health Issues
Andy revealed that Kate suffered from depression and anxiety and had been actively seeking medical help and taking medication for her mental illness over the last five years.
“We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy,” Andy wrote. “There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling.”
Andy also shared that he and Kate had been “living separately, but within a few blocks of each other” in Manhattan, but worked together to co-parent their 13-year-old daughter, Frances Beatrix.
“Bea was living with both of us and we saw each other or spoke every day. We ate many meals together as a family and continued to vacation together as a family. Our daughter was our priority,” he shared.
He asked for privacy at this time, especially for their daughter Bea.
WATCH: Kate Spade’s Death Bears Eerie Similarities To The Passing Of L’Wren Scott
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