Former Miss Universe Jamaica contestant Tyra Spaulding was found dead months after publicly sharing her suicidal thoughts. Spaulding was discovered hanging by a pink curtain at her residence on Tuesday evening.
The 26-year-old was found by her relatives, who have since plunged into grief.
Reports say the curtain was tied around her neck. The Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Corporate Communications Network confirmed the incident occurred about 6:55 p.m., and police have opened a probe into what they are treating as a suspected suicide.
The discovery is jarring because Spaulding was not only a contestant from the 2023 Miss Universe Jamaica competition but also someone who reportedly advocated mental health and suicide prevention.
Additionally, Spaulding spoke openly about the dark thoughts she battled. In a raw 21-minute YouTube video posted on September 4, 2025, which is believed to be her last post, she warned viewers plainly: “My mind is trying to kill me and if I do nothing I am going to die guys.” Later in that footage, she admitted the urge was relentless, saying, “Every day I get up, my mind tells me to go and jump off a building. It tells me to go overdose on pills. It tells me to go and harm myself. I am fighting for my life.”
Those lines now echo painfully in conversations across social media, where her video is now being circulated. An Instagram post attributed to her on August 15 read, “Your girl has been through hell and back.” Spaulding also shared in another video that she sometimes felt that there were “two versions” of herself, “one who wants her to live and one who wants her to die”.
Her death comes amid broader worries locally and beyond. In late July, three suicides were reported in a single week, prompting alarm among mental health specialists. Since the start of September, there have been at least two more local cases. Officials have noted a multi-year upward trend in suicide deaths, with 67 reported in 2024, a figure that was described as the highest in recent years.
Psychologist Dr Susan Ratchie-Hammond reminded the public that assistance is available and that conversations about mental health should be as routine as other safety planning: “Help is available, not just the immediate family, but for all persons who are hearing, watching. Help is always available, so we don’t have to suffer in silence.” She also emphasised the importance of broader mental health preparedness within families and communities.
For anyone struggling now, resources were reiterated in public statements: contact the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-888-NEW-LIFE (1-888-639-5433).
