The cause of death for Grammy-winning singer and “American Idol” alum Mandisa has been confirmed as complications from class III obesity.
The 47-year-old Christian singer died on April 18, and her death has now been classified as natural, according to an autopsy report obtained Tuesday by People Magazine.
Experts define class III obesity as a condition occurring when a person’s body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher, and is considered the most “severe” or “extreme” class of obesity, reports Healthline.
While it’s unclear exactly what complications Mandisa suffered as a result of her condition, the autopsy added that she had last been seen alive roughly three weeks before her body was found by friends in her Nashville home.
At the time of her death, her father told TMZ that her passing was unexpected and that she had no known health problems.
Born Mandisa Lynn Hundley, the singer was among the Top 10 finalists on season five of “American Idol.”
Though she was publicly ridiculed by judge Simon Cowell for being overweight, the Citrus Heights, Calif., native wowed viewers with her powerhouse rendition of the Chaka Khan classic “I’m Every Woman.” Her version of the song appeared on the 2006 “Encores” compilation, alongside other covers by finalists from that season.
After “Idol,” Mandisa released six Christian music and gospel albums, including her 2013 opus, “Overcomer,” which won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album the following year.
After gaining 200 pounds and going public with her struggles with depression in 2017, Mandisa authored the memoir “Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy” in 2022.
