Full Breakdown
Robert Carradine’s Suicide Highlights Ongoing Mental-Health Struggles
6/11/2026, 7:59:26 AM
Suicide Determination and Immediate Circumstances
Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled actor Robert Carradine’s death a suicide, citing brain injury from hanging. Hospital staff found him hanging after an employee delivered a phone call from his daughter. He was in cardiac arrest, received resuscitation, and was moved to intensive care, where he remained for weeks before dying on February 23, 2026. No suicide note was found.
Background and Key Individuals
Carradine, 71, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and suffered severe depression and anxiety for roughly 20 years, according to his daughter and the medical examiner’s report. He was on multiple medications and had a history of recurring suicidal thoughts. The actor’s family includes his brother Keith Carradine, also an actor, and his daughter, who communicated with investigators. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner and the psychiatric hospital where Carradine was admitted are the official bodies involved.
Timeline of Events
- Early February 2026: Carradine voluntarily admits himself to a Los Angeles psychiatric hospital for suicidal ideation.
- Following day: Hospital employee informs him his daughter is on the phone; he is discovered hanging and unresponsive.
- Immediate response: Cardiac arrest noted; resuscitation attempts made; transferred to intensive-care unit.
- February 23, 2026: Carradine dies after several weeks of intensive care.
Official Statements
The Carradine family issued a statement to *Deadline* expressing profound sadness, describing Robert as a “beacon of light” and emphasizing his “valiant struggle” with bipolar disorder as a call to reduce stigma. Brother Keith Carradine stressed that mental illness carries no shame, calling his brother’s condition an illness that “got the best of him” and urging celebration of his life and struggle.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” — Carradine family statement
- “We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness,” — Carradine family statement
- “We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” — Keith Carradine, actor
- “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul.” — Keith Carradine, actor
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources agree on the suicide ruling, cause of death, and absence of a note. The report does not name the psychiatric hospital, list specific medications, or detail any prior suicide attempts, leaving those facts unverified.
Impact and Next Steps
The family hopes Carradine’s story will help combat mental-health stigma and encourage open discussion of bipolar disorder and depression. The article includes the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988) contact information, encouraging readers to seek help if needed.
