Deanna Daughtryis setting the record straight regarding her daughter’s sudden death.
Deanna, the wife of singer-songwriter Chris Daughtry, recently lost her daughter Hannah Price after the 25-year-old was found dead in her Tennessee home last week.
The circumstances surrounding the tragic death have not yet been revealed, although speculation was circulating that Price — who is step-daughter to the American Idol alum — was potentially murdered.
However, Price’s 48-year-old mother is now shutting down rumors that authorities are investigating the death as a homicide, insisting that the nature of Price’s passing is still unknown.
“The news floating around that we said our daughters death is being investigated as a homicide is false!,” the grieving mom wrote on Instagram on Friday, November 19. “We were not told that and never said that to anyone!”
She then went on to speculate how the rumors began, explaining, “The day Hannah was found I shared some concerns I had with some ppl I know and said we won’t know anything for sure till after they complete the investigation. Someone took that and went running with it or they talked to some[one] else who then made assumptions and went running to the press with it.”
As OK! reported earlier this week, the District Attorney stated that the death was not being handled as a homicide, despite previous speculations of foul play.
"This is a death investigation and any attempt to classify it as a homicide investigation at this time is premature and irresponsible,” the 8th District Tennessee D.A. said on Monday, November 15, per TMZ.
“None of us can go jumping to conclusions,” Deanna told her followers in the lengthy IG post. “Having questions & concerns is one thing but harassing someone and calling them a murderer before all the facts are in is wrong on every level regardless of their history.”
After Price’s death was originally announced, many began to point fingers at her boyfriend Bobby Jolly, who happened to be taken into custody at the Fentress County jail on the same day Price was found dead in her apartment, per TMZ.
However, it is still unknown why Jolly was arrested, and whether or not it has anything to do with his girlfriend’s tragic passing.
“If you have information that you feel the police should know about this then tell them and let them do their job,” Deanna continued in her post on Friday. “I lost my child and I’m having to now also deal with rumors and assumptions about her. The people who loved her are in pain and we are mourning they are not talking to the press, they are not spreading rumors and they sure as hell are not making this about themselves.”
She then urged her followers: “So everyone please just stop! Let the investigating officers do their jobs and please remember snippets of someone’s life does not define who they really are as a person. Hannah was on this earth with us for 25 years there is so much more to her story then what you are reading.”
“I loved my daughter so much & I am experiencing the deepest emotional pain I have ever felt!,” Deanna wrote. “Please stop making it worse for those of us who love her by spreading rumors & saying disgusting things about our family. We are real people! Just because my husband has a public job does not mean this is OK to do.”
She concluded her post by thanking those who have been supporting the family during the difficult time: “To the beautiful humans who are sending us their prayers, love, and kindness during this time, we thank you. We are not able to reach out to you all individually as I’m sure you understand but please know we are thankful for people like you.”
Chris also took to Instagram earlier this week to voice his sadness over the loss of his stepdaughter, revealing that he was “devastated and heartbroken” and “still processing” the news.
