Sophie Nyweide’s shocking death has taken on added significance because she was expecting a child.
According to her death certificate, the 24-year-old child star was pregnant when she was discovered deceased on April 14. Vermont police have launched an investigation, with “foul play” now a top priority after her mother suggested drug use, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Bennington Police Department’s investigation will look into “a variety of potential causes, including foul play,” officials told TMZ Tuesday.
According to the outlet, the Mammoth actress was found “lifeless on a riverbank” near a high school in Bennington around 4 a.m. on April 14.
Sophie’s body was autopsied, but the cause of death has yet to be determined.
Bennington police confirmed to The Post: “This is an open investigation and we are still waiting on final autopsy and toxicology reports from the Vermont Office of Chief Medical Examiner.”
Sophie, who was found with a man when authorities arrived, was “declared dead at the scene.”
The man was said to have “cooperated with cops,” but he is not being treated as a “suspect or person of interest.”
The actress, who appeared in films such as An Invisible Sign and Noah, was found dead on Tuesday.
Her family published an online obituary, in which they shared the news and discussed her personal struggles.
They stated, “Sophie was a kind and trusting girl. This often left her vulnerable to being taken advantage of by others.
“She wrote and drew voraciously, and much of her art reflects her depth and the pain she endured. Many of her writings and artwork are a reflection of her struggles and traumas.”
Her family also revealed that she had been “self-medicating” to deal with her emotional pain, which “resulted in her death.”
They went on to say, “Even with those roadmaps, diagnoses, and her own revelations, those closest to her, as well as therapists, law enforcement officers, and others who tried to help her, are heartbroken that their efforts could not save her.”
“She self-medicated to deal with all of the trauma and shame she carried inside, which led to 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.”
In a separate statement to TMZ, her mother, Shelly, discussed her daughter’s time on television and suggested that drug use was most likely a contributing factor to her death.
She stated, “We are very distraught and in mourning. All I can say is that her acting career was brief but very enjoyable. She was not a child star, and she was not subjected to any harmful treatment in those films.
She was always safe on those sets. Please allow her to rest in peace now.
She went on to say, “To the best of my knowledge, she was a tiny young woman who used drugs. She died while with other people.
“I did not know them. There is an ongoing investigation. The autopsy results are still pending. They estimated it would take 6-8 weeks. So I can not make a definitive statement.”
Sophie had appeared in seven films by the age of ten, including Noah and Margot at the Wedding, as well as on television shows such as Law & Order and What Would You Do?
Her final on-screen appearance came in a 2015 episode of the latter.
Her family remembers her as “creative, athletic, and wise beyond her years,” recalling how she “dreamed (more like demanded!) to be an actor” – all unaware that her mother had also acted.
They added in the obituary: “She seemed happiest on a movie set, playing someone else.
“It was a safe environment for her, and she appreciated the casts and crews who nurtured her talent and well-being.
“She was an eager adventurer who learned the customs and even languages of every place she visited. She made friends easily in her schools and saw the best in everyone.”
Sophie’s family also asked that those who wanted to honor her memory donate to RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.