Robert Cosby Jr., the son of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Mary Cosby, has died in Utah, according to police. He was 23.
Officers responded to a call for a possible overdose on Monday and found Robert Cosby Jr. had died, Salt Lake City Police said in a statement to NBC News. A cause of death is not yet clear as officials said the matter is still under investigation by the medical examiner.
Mary Cosby shared on Instagram Wednesday that her son was “called home to the Lord” and that she takes comfort in knowing he is finally at peace.
“We are grateful for your prayers and trust in the Lord to carry us through this time of sorrow,” she wrote in a post.
Recent seasons of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” have put a spotlight on Robert Cosby Jr.’s struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues.
He was released from jail earlier this month after he pleaded guilty in December to assault and violating a protective order. He had more than a dozen charges stemming from incidents from September to November related to violations of orders to stay away from his wife, Alexiana Smokoff.
His mother, Mary Cosby, is an original member of the Salt Lake City version of Bravo’s popular “Real Housewives” reality TV franchise. In season five of the show, she spoke about growing concerns over her adult son’s behavior until eventually learning that he had a drug addiction.
The mother and son had an emotional on-camera conversation where Robert Cosby Jr., shared that he started experimenting with drugs when he was 16-years-old. He admitted to abusing various substances including Xanax, Adderall, cocaine and acid.
“I just felt like a stain, I felt like a stain,” he told his mother. “I just felt like this world wasn’t for me.”
He went to rehab following that conversation, Mary Cosby shared with viewers last year. She told viewers that she spoke with her son about recording and broadcasting the discussion beforehand.
“We didn’t plan on what we were going to say, but we came together, if we can help just one person then we’ll just tell our truth,” she said during the season five reunion.
Her cast mates praised her handling of the situation and for getting her son help. The network also shared resources for those struggling with substance abuse.
She spoke about her son’s time in jail during a reunion episode for season six that last aired last month, saying that she would rather he was there than worrying about what he might be doing.
“I know he’s somewhere where he’s not using,” she said. “At some point, I have to step back so that he can learn and he can make his own decisions, and unfortunately, he’s learning the hard way. But I’m OK with it.”
Fellow cast member Whitney Rose, who has shared that she is estranged from her father over his own addiction issues, shared a broken heart emoji to her Instagram Story on Wednesday following news of his death.
Lisa Barlow, who is also on the show, posted that she was sending prayers to the Cosby family.
“May you feel God’s love and comfort,” Barlow wrote in an Instagram Story. “May you feel love surround you – today and always.”
Andy Cohen, the show’s executive producer, referred to the “devastatingly sad” news in a statement on Threads on Wednesday.
“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Cohen wrote. “My heart is broken for Mary, and I am sending all my love to her and Robert Sr.”
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a 24/7 National Helpline for individuals with substance abuse issues and their family members. The hotline, which offers assistance in English and Spanish, can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). To find behavioral health treatment services, visit SAMHSA’s website.
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