How did Skilyr Hicks die? Former “America’s Got Talent” contestant found dead at 23
Former “America’s Got Talent” (AGT) contestant Skilyr Hicks was found dead at 23 in Liberty, South Carolina on December 6, 2021. The young musician was reportedly found lifeless at his home. ‘a friend. Hicks’ mother Jodi has confirmed her daughter’s death, noting “that she will live through her music,” in a brief statement. Hicks appeared in season 8 of ‘AGT’ in 2013 when she was just 14 years old.
Hicks’ tragic death comes at a difficult time for the AGT family, who have already lost some of their most prominent names this year. In early December, another AGT competitor – Jay Jay Philips – died of Covid-19 after refusing to be vaccinated. Days earlier, singer Thomas Wells died in a horrific accident at a tire manufacturing site in Oklahoma. Before his death, Wells appeared on numerous shows, including AGT and “X-Factor.” Fortunately, Jonathan Goodwin survived his near-death experience on the show, having been stuck between two cars during a rehearsal for a stunt.
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Before her death, Hicks was both famous and notorious, having been arrested on several occasions despite a promising musical career which saw the release of a few original songs. In fact, for her AGT audition, she even sang an original line-up called “Brand New Day”, which saw her take part in the Vegas tour for the 2013 season.
How did Skilyr Hicks die?
At the moment, we don’t know much about Hicks’ death. TMZ, who broke history, noted that Hicks’ body was “found lifeless in a friend’s house” in Liberty. Even Jodi doesn’t know what the cause of his death was, noting that she didn’t know the person Hicks was with at the time. However, it may have something to do with Hicks’ mental health issues. According to Jodi, Hicks struggled with both depression and drug addiction, which often got her into legal trouble.
In 2018, she was arrested for minor alcohol consumption in Findlay, Ohio. Hicks was 20 when she bought and consumed alcohol, which led to a misdemeanor charge. A year earlier, Hicks had been charged with domestic violence for injuring her older sister and assaulting other family members after coming home drunk. It is not known if alcohol was involved in his death, but certainly there was something unusual. Hicks was also missing in may 2021 from Greer, South Carolina. On May 5, she left her residence in an unknown vehicle and was found a few days later.
Hicks learned to play guitar and sing herself at the age of just seven and quickly became a local sensation. She peaked in 2013 with an appearance on AGT but was eliminated just before the live round in New York City. Since then, she has returned to singing in and around South Carolina, barring the occasional run-in with the law.