Country Singer Mindy McCready Dead from Apparent Suicide

Heber Springs, Arkansas

Mindy McCready, who was once on top of the country charts, before personal problems sidetracked her career, died Sunday in Arkansas in an apparent suicide. She was 37.

The Cleburne County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying that McCready was found dead at a residence in Heber Springs from what appears to be a single, self-inflicted gunshot to the head. An autopsy is pending.

This wasn’t the first attempt for the singer.

McCready entered court-ordered rehab earlier this month after her father told a judge she was no longer taking care of herself or her children and was abusing drugs and alcohol. Her sons were put in foster care at the time, but it's not clear where Zander and Zayne were at the time of McCready's suicide.

There were additional issues for the troubled singer. McCready's longtime boyfriend David Wilson, the father of her younger son, died last month in Arkansas. Authorities found his body on the same porch they discovered McCready's on Sunday and his death also was investigated as a suicide.

Following Wilson’s death, she called him her soul mate and a caregiver to her sons in an interview with NBC's "Today." She said she'd never gone through anything as painful as his passing.

"I just keep telling myself that the more suffering that I go through, the greater character I'll have," she said, according to a transcript of the interview.

News of McCready's death spread quickly Sunday night on Twitter with major country stars paying their respects to Nashville's onetime darling.

"Too much tragedy to overcome. R.I.P Mindy McCready," wrote Natalie Maines of The Dixie Chicks.

And Jason Aldean added: "Just heard about Mindy McCready. My thoughts and prayers are with her 2 boys and her family."

Melinda Gayle McCready arrived in Nashville in 1994 still in her teens with tapes of her karaoke vocals and earned a recording contract with BNA Records.

In 1996, her "Guys Do It All the Time" hit No. 1 and its dig at male chauvinism endeared her to females. Her other hits included "Ten Thousand Angels," also in 1996, and her album by that title sold 2 million copies.

n May 2010, she was hospitalized briefly after police responded to an overdose call at a home in North Fort Myers, Fla., owned by her mother. This followed a stint on "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," where she delcared herself clean from drugs. She is the fifth celebrity appearing on that show to have died.

In 2004, she was charged with obtaining the painkiller OxyContin fraudulently at a pharmacy. She pleaded guilty and was placed on three years' probation.

She violated the probation with a drunken driving arrest in May 2005. A few days after that arrest, she was beaten and her boyfriend at the time was charged with attempted criminal homicide. Then she attempted suicide in July 2005, overdosed in September 2005 and slit her wrists again in December 2008.

Also that year, McCready was charged in Arizona with hindering prosecution and unlawful use of transportation. Those charges stemmed from an alleged attempt in June 2005 to purchase two high performance boats, but she claimed she was trying to stop a con man.

And then, of course, she admitted to being involved with Roger Clemmons.

Her other singles included "Maybe He'll Notice Her Now," ''A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)" and "You'll Never Know."

High School Coach Chad Hunt Ends Investigation Into Improper Sexual Relationship With Student By Committing Suicide

League City, Texas

Earlier this week, in League City, rumors and allegations began to surface around Clear Creek High School track and football coach Chad Hunt. Police interviewed the 40-year-old Hunt about reports that he had an improper sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.

Police say the parents of the teenage girl initiated contact with authorities after suspecting an inappropriate relationship.

Those allegations, say authorities, were made Sunday. By Tuesday, Hunt was placed on administrative leave at Clear Creek High School and was interviewed by League City Police detectives. At the time, police authorities say Hunt did not appear to be emotionally unstable.

Early Wednesday, Hunt's body was found inside his Jeep parked off of FM 2403 in Brazoria County. Authorities say he appeared to have committed suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot.

According to school officials, the situation was far worse after the student’s identity was revealed.

League City police said they have closed their investigation into the allegations.

In Texas, there are specifics in terms of the law, which Hunt allegedly violated. Here's what is on the books.

Texas penal code 21.12. IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATOR AND STUDENT
(a) An employee of a public or private primary or secondary school commits an offense if the employee engages in:v (1) sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is enrolled in a public or private primary or secondary school at which the employee works; or
(2) conduct described by Section 33.021, with a person described by Subdivision (1), regardless of the age of that person.
(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree.
(b-1) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the actor was the spouse of the enrolled person at the time of the offense.
(c) If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or both sections.

Penal code section 21.12, Written and passed in 2003, went into effect 9/1/2003. Author: Rep. Helen Giddings, Senate Sponsor Jane Nelson.

Over 500 Follow 18-Year Old Ashley Billasano and Her Final Words on Twitter

Ashley Billasano

18-Year-Old Girl Tweets 144 Times before Committing Suicide

Houston, Texas

At BF Terry High School in Rosenberg, Tuesday morning, one student was absent from class.

Ashley Billasano’s words, however, appeared on Twitter. For more than six hours, the teen posted tweets outlining a life filled with sexual abuse. In all, 144 tweets detailed memories of being molested, forced into prostitution and not getting any help from police.

"It's obvious she needed somebody to talk to and that's what I believe those tweets were," said Chief Craig Brady with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department. "She was trying to communicate and trying to get people to talk to her."
Billasano recounted how she dealt with the pain the first time.

"I went to the bathroom and locked the door"

"I took apart a razor. I did what I had to do to forget. I swear after that night I was never the same"

She talked about confiding with a boyfriend and telling her secret.

"I remember telling my closest teacher and CPS and the police detectives,” she said. “I remember having to tell them everything."

"It is my understanding she made an outcry apparently a year ago in Williamson County up close to Austin about some allegations of sexual abuse," Brady said. "My understanding, that was looked into the sheriff's office there, the D.A'S office and a grand jury. There was no indictment issued."

Concerning the lack of action by Williamson County authorites, she tweeted:

"Weeks passed, then I got the call. They said sorry but there isn't enough evidence I hung up."

"That's when I changed I didn't care anymore and the people I was meeting gave me no reason to."

Perhaps what is even more disturbing, was that more than 500 people were following her accounts on Twitter.

She continued, "I'd love to hear what you have to say but I won’t be around."

And finally her last tweet,

"Take two. I hope I get this right."

Authorities confirm Billasano committed suicide by suffocation, using a method she found on the Internet.

The teen’s tweets have been taken down.

Ashley Bilasano Myspace