Lauren Bennett, known for her work with LMFAO and the girl group GRL, died in Kent, England, on May 29 at the age of 36. Her father, Richard Bennett, has publicly stated his belief that medical professionals and the National Health Service (NHS) failed to provide adequate care in the months leading up to her death.
A formal inquest into Bennett's death has been scheduled for October 30. Her former GRL bandmates confirmed her passing in a statement on Monday, remembering her as a cherished member whose spirit touched many lives.
Richard Bennett expressed his grief, describing his daughter as "an incredible person and artist: creative, talented, funny, and as humble as she was beautiful." He revealed that Lauren had experienced a severe reaction to a prescribed medication in the months prior to her death. "As a family, we all rallied around her and did everything we could to support her," he stated, adding, "We have no suspicions regarding the circumstances of her death, only deep disappointment that, for five months, medical professionals and NHS services failed to treat her appropriately during her time of greatest need."
Lauren Bennett gained prominence with her feature on LMFAO's 2011 hit "Party Rock Anthem." She later joined the girl group GRL, formed by Robin Antin, which also included members Simone Battle, Emmalyn Estrada, Natasha Slayton, and Paula Van Oppen. The group released songs such as "Vacation" for "The Smurfs 2" soundtrack and collaborated with Pitbull on "Wild Wild Love." Their single "Ugly Heart" reached number two on the Australian charts.
The death of Bennett comes 12 years after GRL bandmate Simone Battle died by suicide at the age of 25 in September 2014. Bennett, in a 2015 interview following Battle's death, spoke about the profound grief the group experienced. "You can never prepare yourself for something like this, ever," Bennett told PEOPLE at the time. "We'd just been in rehearsals the day before, learning choreography for our show, and the next day we were starting the morning as usual when we got the call."
Bennett is survived by her daughter, Harlow, aged six, with dancer Kenny Wormald. She began her professional performing career at age 12 and was also part of the short-lived girl group The Paradiso Girls before joining GRL. In 2016, Bennett briefly reformed GRL with Natasha Slayton and Jazzy Mejia, releasing the track "Are We Good?"
Bennett's father concluded his statement by saying, "Lauren was deeply loved and will be missed every day for the rest of our lives. I hope she will be remembered for her remarkable achievements, her beautiful music, and the incredible person she was. Her legacy lives on through her daughter, her family, and through the music she leaves behind." The family has requested privacy as they grieve.
NHS representatives have been contacted for comment.