Grieving family members of Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe’s late fiancée are demanding answers from the rocker over her mysterious cruise ship death.
Kimberly Burch, 56, died after falling overboard from a private balcony on the first night of a seven-day 80s-themed cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas on Sunday, moments after the band performed for fans.
Downe, 60, called Burch’s mom to notify her of her daughter’s heartbreaking death on Monday – but Burch’s sister-in-law, Kellie Burch, told DailyMail.com that the family hasn’t heard from him since.
‘We haven’t spoken to him,’ said Kellie of Downe. ‘He called my mother-in-law to notify her, but she hasn’t had any contact with him since then. None of us have.’
The circumstances of how Burch came to fall from the ship remain unclear.
Both Kellie and Carnell say they don’t believe Burch would intentionally harm herself.
‘She wouldn’t do that,’ Kellie said. ‘It’s just not her.’
Kellie declined to comment when asked about the couple’s relationship history.
Kimberly Burch, 56, had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime Downe, 60, who was performing with his glam metal band Faster Pussycat
Burch is believed to have falled to her death at around 11pm on Sunday – the first night of the cruise
Burch, 56, fell shortly after an alleged heated argument with Downe, according to her mom
‘We just want to know what happened,’ said Kellie. ‘We just want answers.’
The search to find Burch’s body remains ongoing.
Burch is believed to have fallen into the water roughly 20 miles off the shore of Freeport, Bahamas, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said.
When contacted by DailyMail.com on Tuesday afternoon, Kellie Burch said the Coast Guard’s search had been temporarily suspended due to bad weather.
A grief-stricken Kellie said that adding to the family’s anguish is the fact that the family is currently being stonewalled by the Royal Carribean Group.
‘All we want is answers. We’ve had absolutely zero contact with the cruise company. We’ve emailed, we’ve called, and nobody has gotten back to us.’
Kellie said the company’s lack of communication is unacceptable.
In the meantime, she said all her family can do is pray and continue to support each other until answers are forthcoming.
‘She was the life of the party and the light of the room,’ added Kellie of Burch.
‘I last heard from her about a week ago […] she was looking forward to the trip.
‘We are doing as well as we possibly can be while we wait.’
Royal Carribean Group has been contacted for comment on behalf of the Burch family.
In an earlier statement, a company spokesperson said Royal Carribean was ‘providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this time.’
‘To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share,’ the company added.
Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, her mom said, which was ‘out of character for her’
One of Burch’s last social media posts showed the pair onboard together
Burch had embarked on the seven-day nostalgia-themed trip to support Downe, who was due to perform with his famed glam metal band, Faster Pussycat, alongside other iconic ‘80s acts Squeeze, Adam Ant, and Men at Work.
The cruise set sail from Miami on Sunday with scheduled stops in Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee.
Burch reportedly went overboard after falling from the balcony in her cabin on the first night of the cruise at around 11 pm.
An immediate search and rescue operation was launched by Royal Carribean after Burch’s plunge was reported.
The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter crew and other personnel to assist the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in their search – which was later suspended.
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Tragic final post Faster Pussycat star Taime Downe shared with fiancee before cruise death
A passenger told The Hollywood Reporter that guests were alerted to the incident over the ship’s PA system late on Sunday night, informing them that ‘someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person.’
‘[The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on, searching as well,’ said the guest, who asked to remain anonymous.
‘My wife spoke with some people on one of the decks saying they heard that it was a woman and it was caught on camera. Can’t confirm, though.
‘Eventually, the ship powered up, and off we went. This morning, a PA announcement said that the US Coast Guard had taken over the search.
‘We arrived at Nassau, Bahamas, a few hours behind schedule. No excursions were canceled. Haven’t heard anything since.’
Carnell said her daughter had been with Downe for around five to six years.
Burch was drinking on the cruise, Carnell added, which was ‘out of character for her.’
However, Burch was not suffering from depression or any emotional issues at the time and would not have sought to harm herself, Carnell stated.
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Taime Downe, The 80s Cruise and Royal Caribbean for additional comment.
Kellie Burch last spoke with her sister-in-law a week ago and said she was excited about the trip
Burch’s fall came roughly 20 miles off the coast of the Bahamas, a Coast Guard spokesperson said
Kimberly and Taime had been together for around ‘five or six years’
Kimberly is pictured with Taime and his mother in Seattle 2023
Tributes have been flooding in for Burch across social media.
‘I am literally numb,’ wrote friend Julian Douglas in a heartfelt post.
‘I prayed all night, and held out hope friends were wrong about this tragedy, even posting a news article stating a different woman was lost.
‘None of that matters now. A friend has lost his fiancé [sic], the love of his life, a family has lost someone special, and all her friends have lost someone we cared for deeply.
‘I had the honor of knowing Kim for many decades. One of the most beautiful women both inside and out I’ve ever met.
‘From my first shows back in the day, she always supported me. We did the best prom photo pics by the way. We rocked, we rolled, you made me laugh, now you’ve made me cry. I’ll miss her spirit, I’ll miss our late night conversations, I, and so very many will simply miss her.
‘As my heart breaks, my deepest thoughts go out to Taime Downe, to Kimberly’s family, to all those so close to her, and those who had the chance to just know her. Rest Peacefully my friend, you will always be loved and thank you for being you.’
Faster Pussycat formed in 1985 and is comprised of Downe, guitarists Greg Steele and Brent Muscat, and bassist Kelly Nickels.
They forged a successful career over the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over two million records worldwide
They have released four albums, Faster Pussycat (1987), Wake Me When It’s Over (1989), Whipped! (1992) and The Power and the Glory Hole (2006).
They broke up in 1993, but reformed in 2001.
Former drummer Brett Bradshaw died on March 26, 2021, at age 50.