Kate Spade Killed Herself With Scarf, Police Say

New details on Kate Spade's death suggest that the fashion mogul may have used a scarf to commit [...]

New details on Kate Spade's death suggest that the fashion mogul may have used a scarf to commit suicide.

Spade was found dead in her New York City apartment on Tuesday morning. According to a report by CBS New York, her housekeeper discovered her hanging at 10:20 a.m. At first, police declined to confirm any details on the case, but now law enforcement sources have offered a bit more insight into the tragic passing.

Sources told The New York Post that spade had tied a red scarf to a doorknob in her home, and was found having hung herself. They also confirmed reports of Spade's suicide note, adding that she appeared to be going through a number of relationship problems.

"It was over family problems... in her relationship," an insider close to the investigation said.

Spade and her husband, Andy, built the Kate Spade New York fashion brand into an international juggernaut throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. They began with a line of handbags that became must-have accessories before moving into other high-end fashion items. They sold ownership of the company just over a decade ago.

Andy Spade was in the apartment at the time of Kate's suicide, according to a report by The New York Times. He was at the scene when police arrived and pronounced Kate Spade dead at 10:26 a.m. The couple shared a daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade, who was not there on the dramatic morning.

Spade left a final message for her 13-year-old daughter in her suicide note, according to a report by the Daily Mail. She wrote that her death was "not her fault," though law enforcement officials have still declined to release the full contents of the letter.

The outlet also reports that Kate and Andy Spade purchased the Upper East Side apartment for $2.67 million in 1999. There's no word yet on how Andy neglected to notice his wife's passing in the sprawling home. The couple also owned a vineyard in Napa Valley, California.

The successful couple had been together since college, when they met at Arizona State University. They moved to New York together and married. After Kate had built up some experience at Mademoiselle Magazine, they launched Kate Spade New York together, putting everything they had into the endeavor.

Kate Spade was mourned widely on social media. Her passing caused a sudden surge of conversation about mental health, and many users circulated the National Suicide Prevention Hotline number, which is 1-800-273-8255.

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