Bateman — who appeared on Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels in 2009 — died “unexpectedly recently,” a family source told TMZ.
A cause of death was not revealed.
Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels was the third and final season of Rock of Love. It saw contestants attempt to win the heart of the Poison frontman while living on tour buses and traveling with him.
Bateman made it into the top 10 on the season but was eliminated in the seventh episode.
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“I ended up laying on a speed bump bawling my eyes out, but you know what? I’m here and I’m ready for whatever Bret has to say to me,” Bateman said in a confessional on the show at the time, per a clip shared on YouTube.During the episode, Michaels called Bateman forward, telling her, “At some point I looked over during the concert and you were no longer there.”
The rock star continued, saying, “I think you’re awesome and a beautiful girl, and I said sometimes I have to make decisions for people. And my decision for you is that I’m going to let your tour end here,” before sending her back to Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Michaels ended up in a relationship with former model and actress Kristi Gibson, whom he’s been dating on and off since they met in the early ’90s. Gibson frequently attends Poison concerts and is a devoted mom to their daughters Raine and Jorja, who were born in 2000 and 2005, respectively.
A rep for Michaels didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment on Bateman’s death.
