Former child actor Sophie Nyweide was pregnant at the time of her death earlier this month, according to a copy of her death certificate obtained by NBC News on April 24.
Nyweide, known for her roles in “Mammoth” and “Margot at the Wedding,” was found dead at age 24 in a wooded area near Bennington, Vermont, on April 14, her death certificate said.
Her cause and manner of death is still pending investigation, and an autopsy has been completed, according to the certificate.
The Bennington Police Department previously said in a news release Nyweide’s death was being investigated as a possible unintentional overdose, but that investigators were still waiting for the final autopsy and toxicology results from the medical examiner.
“As with any untimely death, Bennington Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) will conduct a thorough and compressive investigation leading up to, as well as the cause of, Nyweide’s death,” police said. “This investigation remains open and there are no further details at this time.”
A individual who was present at the scene with Nyweide and called 911 was cooperating with investigators, police said.
Nyweide’s obituary, originally posted April 22 on legacy.com but now removed, was remembered her as “creative, athletic and wise beyond her years.”
“She 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,” the obituary said. “She seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else. It was a safe place for her and she relish from the casts and crews who nourished her talent and her well being.”
The obituary described Nyweide as a “kind and trusting girl,” which often “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,” the obituary stated. “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,” the obituary continued. “She repeatedly said she would ‘handle it’ on her own and was compelled to reject the treatment that might possibly have saved her life.”
The obituary, which did not state a cause of death, asked for donations to be made to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the largest nonprofit anti-sexual assault organization in the U.S., in lieu of flowers.
Meriam Bouarrouj
