The comedian's daughter died of renal disease in Massachusetts on Friday night, ET can confirm.
Ensa Cosby, the 44-year-old daughter of Bill Cosby, died on Friday night in Massachusetts, ET can confirm. She was 44.
A representative for the family tells ET, “The Cosby family thanks many people for their prayers for their beloved and beautiful Ensa, who recently died from renal disease."
Ensa is not the first child Cosby has lost. In 1997, the comedian's son, Ennis, died at age 27 after being murdered by an 18-year-old in a failed attempted robbery.
In the wake of her father's very public fall from grace following dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct, including rape and sexual assault -- which Cosby has consistently denied -- Ensa was one of the members of Cosby's family to defend him.
"I strongly believe my father is innocent of the crimes alleged against him and I believe that racism has played a big role in all aspects of this scandal," Ensa said in a statement last year. "My father has been publicly lynched in the media and my family, my young daughter, my young niece and nephew have had to stand helplessly by and watch the double standard or pretending to protect the rights of some but ignoring the rights of others and exposing innocent children to such appalling accusations about someone that they love dearly and who has been so loving and kind to them is beyond cruel."
"I’m a very private person and I’ve chosen to live my life with my family quietly, but for my child, my niece and my nephew, and my father, I can’t sit quietly anymore," her statement read. "The man portrayed in the media today is not who my father is."
Reporting by Rande Iaboni.
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