Bernadette Walker, the mother of Rae Sremmurd‘s Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee, has broken her silence on the death of her ex-husband, Floyd Walker, a man who raised the musical duo. Their half-brother, Jamil Ali Sullivan, known as Michael, was “detained on a psychological hold” following Floyd’s death and then “released from a local psychological care facility and immediately arrested for murder,” Tupelo PD told People.
Speaking to the publication, Bernadette said that Michael was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and had a complicated relationship with Floyd. The case is still being investigated as a homicide. She explained that he was aggressive when he wasn’t taking his medications and previously got into physical altercations with herself and her fiance. “He said when he took the medication, it helped. He said he didn’t like to take the medication because it made him sleepy,” she said. “He’s a very social person and he loves music when he’s on his medication.”
“I’m not going to say that, ‘Something like this was unexpected,’” Walker said. “Of course even though it wasn’t unexpected, you still don’t expect it. He has threatened me multiple times. This very well could’ve been me. He has shot guns more than once.”
She also spoke on Swae and Slim Jxmmi, explaining that the two have been grieving in private. “It’s been a few days and everybody’s trying to give them space and let them process what happened,” she said “It’s still unbelievable. They’re making funeral arrangements and everything. They’re broken but they have to keep on because obviously they still have obligations. They’re just dealing with it as best they can.”
Although upset about the situation, she explained how this is an example of how the mental health system has failed her and many other Americans.
“There were so many red flags. Even before I sent him back to Tupelo, Michael had been hospitalized more than once this year and each time they put him in a facility, they kept him for about two weeks. They didn’t really do anything for him, they just kept him, like babysitting,” she explained.
Read her entire interview here.
