Ashley Judd Posts Family Statement & Important Message: 'Deeply Distressed'

If you or someone you know is considering suicide or is in emotional distress, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Ashley Judd shared a statement from the Judd and Strickland families after some tabloid media outlets published photos from the death investigation scene after Naomi Judd died by suicide in April 2022. Circulation of the photos, which apparently included a note written by Naomi, led the families to feel “deeply distressed,” and they reiterated the importance of privacy laws to protect families coping with the loss of a loved one because of suicide.

Naomi, beloved country artist who was long know for her music in the iconic mother-daughter duo The Judds, passed away unexpectedly on April 30, 2022. She was 76. The country music legend was one day away from The Judds’ Country Music Hall of Fame induction, which her daughter, Wynonna Judd, Ashley’s sister, attended in her honor. Wynonna, Ashley and Larry Strickland, Naomi’s husband of more than three decades, paid tribute to her in a memorial service at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Judd and Strickland families released a statement on Thursday evening (January 19):

“Our family is deeply distressed by the galling, irresponsible publication of and ongoing requests for details and images of our beloved mother and wife’s death by suicide because of the trauma and damage it does to those who view such materials and the contagion risk they pose to those who are vulnerable to self-harm. This so-called ‘journalism’ is merely the crudest monetization of a family’s suffering and despair, and a flagrant, cynical disregard for public welfare. It is equally a deep violation of our right to a modicum of decency and privacy in death.

“We remonstrate media to take as fact the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s guidelines on coverage of suicide both for public safety and to avoid re-traumatization of survivors of such a devastating tragedy.

“The note that was left came from the complex disease of mental illness and not from her mother’s heart.

“We hope the public and elected officials now see, with us, the keen importance of strengthening and changing state privacy laws so that police reports in the event of death by suicide are not, in fact, public record. The consequence of the law as it is presently serves only the craven gossip economy and has no public value or good.”

Along with their own statement, the Judd and Strickland families shared a message and guidelines from Christine Yu Moutier, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

“How we talk about suicide in our society can influence the health outcomes of those who are vulnerable.

“As a matter of public health, we ask that anyone, whether reporter or the general public who is covering or discussing any suicide, refrain from publicizing purported details such as the method of suicide, photos, suicide note, or other details that research shows could contribute to suicide contagion, and to grant any and all families privacy and respect as they grieve.

“To safety and accurately cover suicide, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) requests media to adhere to the following guidelines:

“Do not include details or images of lethal means or method used, which can negatively affect those who are struggling and research has shown this to cause contagion.
“Inform the audience without sensationalizing the suicide. Exclude images or graphic depictions of a suicide death, such as details and location of death, and avoid glamorizing the method used.
“Do not share notes left behind, which can create sensationalism and pose risk to vulnerable people.
“Avoid reporting that a suicide death was ‘caused’ by a single event, such as a job loss or divorce, since research shows no one takes their life for one single reason, but rather a combination of factors (which you can learn about at afsp.org/signs). Reporting a ‘cause’ leaves the public with an overly simplistic and misleading understanding of suicide.
“Research shows suicide is a complex health issue. Therefore, especially when the individual has been open about experiencing a mental health condition, it can be helpful to frame the death in terms of a tragic health outcome.
“Always provide helpful information — If you are in crisis, please call/text/chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

“We must do more to prevent tragic deaths through greater awareness of mental health, common risks, warning signs of suicide, effective interventions and treatments. In light of the public health concerns, we respectfully request you delete any purported depictions of the aftermath of suicide from your websites and publications.”

Ashley appeared on Good Morning America in May 2022, sharing new details about her mother’s death. She explained at that time that she was speaking for the family, in agreement with Wynonna and Strickland, because the family wanted to speak “before things about the 30th of April become public without our control, whether it’s the autopsy or the exact manner of death… Otherwise, it’s obviously way too soon. And so, that’s important for us to say upfront… And I’ve thought about this so much because once I say it, it cannot be unsaid.” Ashley continued, confirming at the time: “…I will share with you that she used a weapon. Mother used a firearm. So, that’s the piece of information that we are very uncomfortable sharing, but understand that we’re in a position that, you know, if we don’t say it someone else is going to.”

Months later, Ashley wrote an op-ed in the New York Times, opening up about why she was calling for legal change to help other grieving families keep sensitive details from being made public when law enforcement officers re investigating a death by suicide. She wrote that the family is united and believes that their privacy — and the privacy of other families facing similar losses of loved ones — should remain protected and out of the public eye. Read Ashley’s full op-ed in the New York Times here.

The family reportedly filed a notice to voluntarily dismiss legal efforts to prevent law enforcement records related to Naomi’s death investigation from being made public. Police files were released in early December, according to the Nashville-based Tennessean.

Find more information from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention here.