31 Child Actors Who Died Young

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   Child actors who died young include some of the most recognizable names in Hollywood, as well as some who starred on stage and screen many decades ago. All of the actors and actresses listed here were in the business as kids, and sadly, all passed away way too early in their lives. Their causes of death vary from health-related problems, to suicides or accidents, but every child actor listed here was taken from this Earth way too soon.
   
   The untimely death of a star is always a tragedy, and when it comes to child actors who died at a young age, it's especially tragic. This list is, unfortunately, proof positive that no matter how famous you are, you are not immune from pain and sadness in life. The names here on this list are among the most famous people who died young.
   
   1.Heather O'Rourke
   

   "Carol Anne" from Poltergeist died in 1988 from complications during surgery to remove an acute bowel obstruction. She was 12 years old.

   
   
   

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2. Skye McCole Bartusiak
   

   Skye McCole Bartusiak died in her sleep at the age of 21, in July 2014. Her death was ultimately ruled an overdose. Said the Harris (Texas) County Institute of Forensic Sciences, "The exact cause of death is an accident due to the combined effects of hydrocodone and difluoroethane with carisoprodol."
   
   The child star was known for her role as Mel Gibson's daughter in The Patriot.
   
   
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4. River Phoenix
   

   The child and teen star of Stand by Me and Explorers died in 1993 at age 23, after speedballing cocaine and morphine. The scene unfolded in front of The Viper Room, a legendary Sunset Strip music venue, while then-owner Johnny Depp was performing onstage with Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers. As news circulated through the club about Phoenix's collapse outside, the show stopped, but he was never revived.
   
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5. Gary Coleman
   

   "Arnold Jackson" from Diff'rent Strokes died of a brain hemorrhage in 2010 at age 42. The former child star had lapsed into a coma in a hospital near his Provo, UT, home and passed away shortly after being take off life support.
   
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6. Judith Barsi
   

   The young star of Jaws: The Revenge and The Land Before Time (voice of "Ducky") died in 1988 at age 10. In a murder-suicide carried out by her father, Judith and her mother were shot, killed, and subsequently set on fire before he shot himself to death in the family's garage.
   
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7. Dana Plato
   

   "Kimberly Drummond" from Diff'rent Strokes died in 1999 at age 35 while visiting her fiancé's mother in Moore, OK. Plato took a lethal dose of Lortab and Valium before laying down for a nap and never woke up. The death was eventually ruled a suicide. 

   
   
   

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8. Lee Thompson Young
   

   Disney child star Lee Thompson Young died in 2013 at age 29. The titular character on Disney's The Famous Jett Jackson, Thompson Young's death by gunshot to the head was ruled a suicide.
   
   
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10. Brad Renfro
    

    The star of The Client died in 2008 at age 25 from a heroin overdose. Renfro's death from acute heroin/morphine intoxication was ruled accidental.
    
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11. Carl Switzer
    

    Alfalfa from the Our Gang comedies died in 1959 at age 31. Switzer was shot during an altercation with a man he believed owed him money.
    
    
    
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12. Jonathan Brandis
    

    The star of SeaQuest DSV died in 2003 at age 27. Brandis was found alive, but unconscious, hanging from the neck in his home. The friend who happened upon the scene summoned paramedics immediately, but the star of Ladybugs died at Cedars-Sinai hospital the next day.
    
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13. Anissa Jones
    

    "Buffy" from Family Affair died in 1976 at age 18. After finally receiving her share of royalties from the show Jones sank into a life of drugs and alcohol and died from a massive overdose of barbiturates, phencyclidine, cocaine, and methaqualone.
    
    
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14. Corey Haim
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    The teen star of '80s hit films like Lucas, The Lost Boys, and License to Drive turned to drugs when his career slowed. In 2010, he died at age 38, officially from pneumonia - though he notably procured 553 prescription pills from 7 different physicians in the 32 days prior to his death, including 195 Valium, 149 Vicodin, 194 Soma, and 15 Xanax.
    
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16. Bridgette Andersen
    

    Savannah Smiles star Bridgette Andersen died in 1997 at age 21. Her death was ruled an accidental drug overdose.
    
17. Bobby Driscoll
    

    Bobby Driscoll, who grew up in front of the cameras in Disney films like Song of the South and Treasure Island, died in 1968 at age 31. Driscoll's body was found in a New York tenement and went unidentified at the time of his death. It wasn't until two years later, when his mother began inquiring about his whereabouts, that it was discovered the young actor was buried in an unmarked grave in Potter's Field.
    
    
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18. Ashleigh Aston Moore
    

    The Now and Then actress died in 2007 at age 26 of an accidental heroin overdose. 
    
19. Josh Ryan Evans
    

    The Passions star died in 2002 at age 20. On the same day, his soap opera character was killed off, the diminutive star died of a congenital heart defect at a San Diego hospital.
    
    
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20. Christopher Pettiet
    

    The star of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead and The Young Riders died in 2000 at age 24, of an accidental drug overdose.
    
22. Rob Knox
    

    The Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince actor died in 2008 at age 18 defending his younger brother from another man wielding a knife. He was stabbed to death in London.
    
    
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23. Michelle Thomas
    

    The Family Matters star (aka Myra Monkhouse) died in 1998 at age 30. The television star succumbed to a rare form of stomach cancer in a New York hospital days before Christmas.
    
    
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24. Dana Hill
    

    The star of Shoot the Moon, Fallen Angel, and National Lampoon's European Vacation died in 1996 at age 32. Diagnosed in her youth with Type 1 diabetes, Hill slipped into a diabetic coma in May, suffered a massive stroke in June, and died in July.
    
25. Rusty Hamer
    

    The Make Room For Daddy star died in 1990 at age 42. Hamer killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at his home in DeRiddler, LA.
    
    
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26. Matthew Garber
    

    The Mary Poppins star died in 1977 at age 21. While on tour in India, Garber contracted hepatitis which spread to his pancreas before he could return to London for treatment. The official cause of death listed on his death certificate is Haemorrhagic Necrotising Pancreatitis.
    
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28. Tara Correa-McMullen
    

    The Judging Amy star died in 2005 at age 16. The young star, whose character was killed by gang members, met a similar fate when a shotgun blast in Inglewood, CA, ended her life.
    
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29. Scotty Beckett
    

    The Our Gang star died in 1968 at age 38 from an overdose of barbiturates. 
    
30. Lucille Ricksen
    

    The silent movie actress died in 1925 at age 14. Ricken fell ill during filming one day and was subsequently diagnosed with tuberculosis. She died two weeks after her mother, who had kept vigil on her ailing daughter, suffered a fatal heart attack at her daughter's bedside.
    
31. J. Madison Wright Morris
    

    The Grace Under Fire actress died in 2006 at age 21. After having received a heart transplant in 2000 to correct a heart muscle disease, the young actress succumbed to a heart attack the day after her wedding.
    
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32. Norman Chaney
    

    The Our Gang star died in 1936 at age 21. Chaney died from complications that arose from a surgery to correct a glandular disorder.
    
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34. Michael Cuccione
    

    The 2ge+her star died in 2001 at age 16. Cuccione had survived Hodgkin's disease at age 9 after chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, but was left with a respiratory problem as a result of the treatments. After a minor car accident, the actor was hospitalized and never recovered, ultimately succumbing to respiratory failure.
    
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35. Billy Laughlin
    

    The Our Gang star died in 1948 at age 16. While delivering papers with a friend, he was hit from behind by a bus. Both boys died instantly.
    
36. Dorothy Dell
    

    The Wharf Angel and Little Miss Marker actress died in 1934 at age 19. After avoiding death several times over the years, Dell was finally felled in an auto accident that killed her instantly.
    
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37. Sammi Kane Kraft
    

    The star of the Bad News Bears remake died in 2012 at age 20. The actress was a passenger in a car that rear ended a semi truck and subsequently another vehicle. She died at Cedars-Sinai hospital from injuries sustained in the accident.

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