Singer Billy McKnight says the suicide of country star Mindy McCready, his ex-girlfriend, at her Arkansas home was not “a major shock.”

The former couple had fought for years over custody of their 6-year-old son Zander, who was placed in foster care along with his 10-month-old brother Zayne, this month. McCready‘s family said she had been drinking and using drugs again, and wasn’t caring for her children.

The baby‘s father, McCready’s then-fiance David Wilson, was found dead of a gunshot wound in January. McCready denied any involvement in his death, which remains under investigation.

McCready, 37, died of an apparent self-inflected gunshot wound Sunday afternoon. She reportedly shot her dog before she killed herself.

“As sad as it is, it didn‘t come as a major shock,” McKnight said on the “Today” show Monday.

“She’s just been battling demons for so long,” he said. “I was around her when she attempted suicide twice, so I knew it was in her. ... I feel for her mother and her family and especially my son.”

McKnight said he wants Zander to live with him.

“He needs to come home,” he said, adding, “I don‘t know what is going to happen to Zayne.” (UPI)



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자살한 여가수 남자친구의 냉정한 발언

지난 일요일 자살한 채로 발견된 미국 여가수 민디 맥크래디(Mindy McCready, 37)와 연인 관계에 있었던 가수 빌리 맥나이트(Billy McKnight)가 말문을 열었다.

"그다지 충격적인 일이 아닙니다. 아주 오랫동안 술과 마약에 절어서 살아왔어요. 아이를 돌보지도 않고요. 오래 힘들어했어요. 이전에 두 번 자살 시도를 한 적이 있고요. 그녀의 부모와, 특히 내 아들을 보면 정말 안타깝습니다." 맥나이트는 각각 여섯 살 된 아들 잰더(Zander)를 두고 맥크래디와 양육권 분쟁을 벌여왔다.

지난 1월 맥크래디의 남편이었던 데이비드 윌슨(David Wilson)이 사망한 바 있다. 사건은 아직 조사 중에 있으며 윌슨과 맥크래디 사이에는 10개월 된 아들이 있다.

"잰더(Zander)는 저와 같이 살아야해요. 재인(Zayne)은 어떻게 될지 모르겠군요."라고 맥나이트가 말했다. (코리아헤럴드)