Following an investigation into Mandisa’s death, it has been revealed that the cause was complications of Class III obesity. The singer was found dead at her home in Tennessee in April, having been “last known alive approximately three weeks” before her body was discovered. She was 47 years old.
Class III obesity occurs when a person has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher and is experiencing obesity-related health conditions. Serious health conditions can result from this level of obesity, including Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Mandisa was originally from Citrus Heights in California and studied music at college. Although she finished in ninth place on the fifth season of American Idol, she became the fifth contestant of the show to win a Grammy when her 2013 album ‘Overcomer’ won the award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.
In May 2017, after taking some time out of the public eye to grieve the loss of a close friend and reportedly dealing with her own struggles with mental health, Mandisa released her memoir, ‘Out Of The Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God’s Joy’, where she detailed her battles with depression. The same year, she marked the release of her final album, titled ‘Out Of The Dark’, which was the first album she had recorded in three years
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