BURT BACHARACH - BACHARACH'S DAUGHTER COMMITS SUICIDE

The daughter of legendary songwriter BURT BACHARACH has committed suicide at her Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles home on Thursday (04JAN07) night. NIKKI BACHARACH, the daughter of Bacharach and actress ANGIE DICKINSON, was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome following her premature birth in 1966. A statement read, "She quietly and peacefully committed suicide to escape the ravages to her brain brought on by Asperger's." MIKE FEILER of the Ventura County coroner's office confirmed Nikki died of suffocation using a plastic bag and helium. Her RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD hitmaker father documented her obsessive routines and extreme sensitivity to sounds, smells and tastes in his 1971 song NIKKI. She was 40 years old.