Erinn Cosby Once Dropped Dad's Name & Retreated from the Public Eye - More about Bill Cosby's Daughter

Erinn Cosby is the second daughter of Bill and Camille Cosby. Considered the most controversial member of the Cosby brood, she had a tumultuous relationship with her father in her 20s.

Born on July 23, 1966, a year after her older sister, Erika, Erinn's turbulent relationship with her father stemmed from Erinn's perceived disinterest in being a self-productive person and her alleged abuse of drugs. Despite the struggles with her father, their relationship never entirely broke down.

Erinn even appeared on a television special of her father's famous show. "Bill Cosby: Far from Finished" aired in 2013. Ultimately, Erinn has, by and large, kept herself away from the spotlight, choosing to live a life independent from her household family name.

Erinn Cosby Once Had a Falling Out with Her Famous Dad

When Erinn was 25 years old, she decided to stop introducing herself as Erinn Cosby and only use her first name. The complexities that came with her family name were taking too much of her independent life. A famous name like that always attracts attention which sometimes could have exaggerated effects.

The Enquirer had run a story in 1989 claiming that she was a drug addict. Her father was not happy with her, accusing her of being irresponsible and failing to support herself. An article by Page Six in 2014 alleged that Bill was the one who had ratted out his daughter.

Erinn admitted that she had been using drugs but was not an addict. After the bad publicity, she moved to Miami Beach to try and be far from the spotlight. She emphasized that there was no hostilities or disaffection between her and her father, but she wanted to become more independent and autonomous.

Erinn Cosby's Marriage Marked Her Reconciliation with Her Father

Even though Erinn's relationship with her father seemed strained at most times during her 20s, several instances brought them back together. One such occasion was when Erinn, a college student, married Dr. Michael Cannaday, a general practitioner of internal medicine, in October of 1998.

The wedding took place at her parent's house in Philadelphia and was officiated by Andrew Young, a former UN Ambassador and chairman of a national consulting firm Good Works International. This was a great honor for Erinn and her family. It was also a sign of good relations between Bill and her daughter.

The wedding was a real family affair as many of her family members were on hand to witness one of theirs being joined in matrimony. Among the attendees were her mother, Camille Cosby, grandmother Catherine Hanks and uncles Guy Hanks and Russell Cosby, who sat in the front row. Her sister, Erika, Ervin, and Ensa were maids of honor.

Erinn Cosby Sadly Lost Two Siblings Prematurely

Of Erinn's four siblings, only two, Erika and Ervin, are still alive. Bill Cosby's only son, Ennis, was the first to lose his life among the siblings. His death came under very unfortunate circumstances after he was tragically killed during an attempted robbery.

Born on April 15, 1969, three years after Erinn, Ennis was just 27 years old when he was murdered while changing a tire on Interstate 405 in California, Los Angeles. The incident took place on January 16, 1997. A teenager, Mikhail Markhasev, reportedly shot him after taking too long to hand over the money Markhasev demanded.

At the time of his death, Ennis was enrolled at Columbia University Teachers College, where he was training to be a special education teacher. He is believed to be the inspiration behind the fictional character Theo Huxtable in "The Cosby Show."

Furthermore, Erin also lost another of her younger siblings, Ensa, on February 23, 2018. Born on April 8, 1973, Ensa's cause of death was said to be renal disease resulting from kidney failure. The 44-year-old reportedly had a history of health problems and was awaiting a kidney transplant at the time of her death.