Musician Nick Cave’s Son Jethro Lazenby Dead at 31

Jethro Lazenby, the model-actor son of Australia musician Nick Cave, died at the age of 31, just days after he was released on bail following an admitted assault on his mother.

By Ashley Joy Parker May 09, 2022 9:51 PMTags
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Nick Cave is mourning the loss of his son Jethro Lazenby.

The musician confirmed in a statement to NBC that the 31-year-old died this week

"With much sadness, I can confirm that my son, Jethro, has passed away," Nick, 64, shared through his manager Brian Message. "We would be grateful for family privacy at this time." 

No cause of death has been released.

Jethro's passing comes seven years after Nick's son Arthur, who he shares with model Susie Bick, died at 15 years old after falling from a cliff in Brighton, England. 

Raised by his mother Beau Lazenby, in Melbourne, Australia, Jethro didn't learn that the front man for rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was his father until he was around 8. 

"I haven't had the easiest life," he said in a 2012 interview with the Evening Standard. "It didn't start off that great, having all this s--t with my dad and being in his shadow."

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Nick has admitted that he regrets the "difficult time" when he was estranged from his son during his childhood, but has said that the two eventually became close.

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"To my eternal regret, I didn't make much contact with Jethro in the early years," the 64-year-old said in a 2008 interview with The Guardian. "But I now have a great relationship with him. It turned out great in the end."

Jethro was a rising star in the fashion industry and walked the runway for major fashion houses including Versace and Costume National Homme. The model also scored roles in several films including 2007's Corroboree and 2011's My Little Princess alongside Isabelle Huppert.

More recently, Jethro had several run-ins with law enforcement. In 2018, he served jail time following a series of violent assaults on his then-girlfriend. Last month, he was sent back to jail after he admitted attacking his mother, according to the BBC.

For the attack on his mother, Jethro accepted a deal to plead guilty to one count of unlawful assault and breaching court orders.  

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Just days before his death, he had been released on bail from Melbourne Remand Centre after a judge instructed him to undergo substance abuse treatment and avoid contact with his mother for two years.

At the time, his lawyer, Sean Ghattas, said that Jethro had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, which had affected his judgement, per the BBC.

 

 

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