Source: Mindy McCready dog shooting not 'act of malice'

Mindy McCready: 1975-2013

The popular country singer led an often troubled life.

LOS ANGELES – After many years struggling with substance abuse and legal and mental health problems, Mindy McCready, 37, took her own life on Sunday in what sources close to her say was a tragedy, but not a total shock.

“Mindy hasn’t gotten any breaks in months. First David, then the kids, then rehab,” a source close to the country star told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. “She’s been up and down in recent times. But after David, it was just too hard for her to bounce back.”

PHOTOS: Remembering country star Mindy McCready

The troubled singer was in a serious depressive slump since the father of her youngest child, record producer David Wilson, died just over a month ago in what looked to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Making matters worse, her two sons – aged ten months and six – were removed from her home by a judge on Feb. 6. McCready was then committed to a rehabilitation facility for mental health and alcohol abuse examinations, but released after just two days.

We’re told that prior to her boyfriend’s death, things were looking up for the problem-plagued star who had started to work on new music and was very much “in love” with Wilson.

“She didn’t really have a support network and coming home to an empty house seems to be what really did it,” the source continued. “It is tragic. She was a sweet and kind girl at heart.”

However, since her death much has been made over revelations that McCready shot her dog before allegedly turning the gun on herself.

“Mindy really loved her dog and that would not have been an act of malice at all,” the pal insisted. “It would have been more of a case where she just didn’t want to leave the dog alone.”

McCready had attempted suicide in 2005 and again in 2008, made an array of rehab visits and even starred on the popular VH1 reality show “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” three years ago.

“This was at least her third attempt [at suicide],” said the insider. “She is finally at peace.”

Her reps at Music City News announced Monday that preliminary plans are underway by McCready’s “friends in music” to organize a memorial in Nashville in the coming days.