Patriot Actress Dead at 21

Skye Bartusiak suffered suspected seizure
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 21, 2014 12:24 AM CDT
Patriot Actress Dead at 21
Bartusiak is seen in "The Patriot."   (guerra hombre)

The young actress best known for playing Mel Gibson's daughter in The Patriot died at her home in Houston on Saturday, her mother says. Skye McCole Bartusiak was 21. "She was a kind and really beautiful girl," her mother tells CNN, explaining that while no cause of death has been determined, the epileptic seizures Bartusiak had suffered since she was a baby returned last week after disappearing for a few years.

Bartusiak was found by her boyfriend in her garage apartment next to her parents' home. "We think she had a seizure and choked and nobody was there," says the mother, who performed CPR on her daughter before emergency workers arrived. "I've done CPR on that kid more than one time and it just didn't work this time." Bartusiak made her movie debut in 1999's The Cider House Rules and also appeared opposite Michael Douglas in Don't Say a Word, as well as in TV shows including 24 and CSI, reports Variety. Her last movie role was in the 2012 thriller Sick Boy. She had been working on directing and producing her first film, her mother says. (More Skye McCole Bartusiak stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X