24-year-old Sophie Nyweide, and former Noah child actress, has died. Police are not ruling out foul play as they investigate what happened.
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According to a report by TMZ, authorities in Vermont are investigating the 'sudden death' of the child star. Bennington Police told the outlet that they found her body on a riverbank close to a high school in Bennington on April 14 at around 4:00 AM. Emergency Services declared her dead at the scene.
Nyweide's body was reportedly found 'near a lean-to,' and police aren't ruling out anything connected to her death at this point, including foul play. The outlet also explains that an upcoming autopsy will also include a toxicology report. TMZ states that a man was with Nyweide when she died, and "he is cooperating with cops." Police don't consider him a person of interest in the case or a suspect.
Sophie Nyweide's Family Confirms Her Passing In An Online Obituary
An online obituary describes Sophie as a "beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend and new aunt." Nyweide followed in her mother, Shelly Gibson's, footsteps with a love of acting. Gibson appeared in several TV shows, including All My Children, St. Elsewhere, and Law & Order. The obituary says Sophie, "dreamed (more like demanded!) to be an actor, without ever knowing her mother was an actor, so she did that too with an ease we all marveled about. She seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else. It was a safe place for her, and she relished the casts and crews who nourished her talent and her well-being."
The obituary also reveals some of her struggles. "Sophie was a kind and trusting girl," it reads. "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."
"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."
Sophie's final credits include 2014's Noah, which had a star-studded cast including Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson. She also featured in a short called Born Again in 2015.
