Cameron Boyce’s official cause of death still unknown
The ‘Jessie’ and ‘Descendants’ actor died Saturday in his sleep
Disney star Cameron Boyce’s cause of death is looking like natural causes, the coroner’s office said Thursday, but it will remain officially unknown for a while longer.
The ‘Jessie’ and ‘Descendants’ actor died Saturday in his sleep, and his family confirmed Tuesday that he had epilepsy. Toxicology tests are still pending after an autopsy Monday.
“Preliminary information suggests the death occurred under natural circumstances,” the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said in a statement. “The final cause and manner of death will be determined at a later date.”
That delay while awaiting test results is pretty common. In Boyce’s case, there are a few outstanding variables.
Investigators are looking into whether the 20-year-old was taking his prescribed epilepsy medication and what dose he might have taken, sources told the Blast on Wednesday. Also, they want to check if he took anything that might have interacted with the prescription drug.
Meanwhile, on Instagram, Cameron’s grieving father posted a photo of the actor taken hours before he died.
“My son. Just hours before he was snatched from our lives,” Victor Boyce wrote Wednesday. “I miss him terribly. I hope that no one ever has to feel the agony I’m feeling but no one is immune to tragedy. The outpouring of love and support our family continues to receive is so beautiful and appreciated. Thank you all for helping us through our worst possible situation.”
Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, or SUDEP, happens to about one in 1,000 otherwise healthy people who have epilepsy, according to the Epilepsy Foundation’s website. The cause is unknown, the site said, noting that it might vary among victims, who — as Boyce was — are often found dead in bed.