Sophie Nyweide was pregnant when she suddenly died at age 24 on Monday, April 14.
The former child star’s death certificate, obtained by Us Weekly, notes that she was pregnant. It was not stated how far along in the pregnancy she was, but a source told People that Nyweide was in the early stages.
Nyweide, whose legal name is Marion S. Nyweide, was found unresponsive in a wooded area along the banks of the Roaring Branch River in Bennington, Vermont, on the morning of April 14. An unnamed individual was with the former child actress at the time of her death, and they called 911 at 4:10 a.m. Paramedics attempted life-saving measures but she was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:53 a.m.
Authorities confirmed on Wednesday, April 23, that Nyweide’s death is being investigated as a “possible unintentional overdose.”
“Sophie. A life ended too soon. May it not be in vain,” Nyweide’s obituary stated. “May we all learn from her brief life on earth and do better. Yes, we must all protect our children and do better.”
The obituary, which has since been removed, stated that the Vermont native was “self-medicating” to deal with inner turmoil.
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“Sophie was a kind and trusting girl,” the obituary stated. “Often this left her open to being taken advantage of by others. She wrote and drew voraciously, and much of this art depicts the depth she had, and it also represents the pain she suffered. Many of her writings and artwork are roadmaps of her struggles and traumas. Even with those roadmaps, diagnoses and her own revelations, those closest to her, plus therapists, law enforcement officers and others who tried to help her, are heartbroken their efforts couldn’t save her from her fate. She self-medicated to deal with all the trauma and shame she held inside, and it resulted in her death. She repeatedly said she would ‘handle it’ on her own and was compelled to reject the treatment that might possibly have saved her life.”
She is survived by mom Shelley Gibson, a former actress, and brother Huck.
In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family asked mourners to make a donation to RAINN — the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization — in Sophie’s name. A memorial service has yet to be finalized.
Between 2006 and 2015, Nyweide appeared in nearly a dozen movies and TV shows opposite many A-listers. She was in 2007’s Margot at the Wedding, starring Nicole Kidman and Jack Black, and played Michelle Williams‘ on-screen daughter in the 2009 film Mammoth. She appeared in Noah opposite Russell Crowe and Emma Watson in 2014.
