Sophie Nyweide. Photo:
Scott Wintrow/Getty
Child actor Sophie Nyweide was pregnant when she died unexpectedly last week, according to a death certificate obtained by PEOPLE.
Nyweide, 24, died on Monday, April 14, according to the Vermont Department of Health. Her pregnancy was first reported by TMZ.
She was found in a wooded area in Bennington, Vt., about 25 miles from her home in Manchester Center.
The circumstances of Nyweide’s pregnancy, such as her stage, were not immediately clear, though a source familiar with the investigation tells PEOPLE she appeared to be in the early stages. The Vermont Department of Health did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for further information.
Sophie Nyweide in 2009. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
Nyweide made her debut on screen in Bella in 2006, before going on to appear in Mammoth, where she played the onscreen daughter of Michelle Williams and Gael García Bernal.
In an obituary, her family said, the former child actor had many passions, including snowboarding and dancing.
“She seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else,” read part of the obituary. “It was a safe place for her.”
The obituary further said her trusting nature often led to people taking “advantage” of her, and that she used art to depict her trauma and pain, making note of therapists, law enforcement officers and others who tried to help her but “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 reads. “She repeatedly said she would ‘handle it’ on her own and was compelled to reject the treatment that might possibly have saved her life.”
Sophie Nyweide in 2007. Shawn Ehlers/WireImage
The cause and manner of her death remain unknown but Bennington police previously said there is a possibility of foul play in her death.
In a statement following her death, the Margot at the Wedding actor’s mother told TMZ that she believed her daughter was using drugs.
Bennington police told PEOPLE in a statement they are looking into Nyweide’s death as “a possible unintentional overdose,” and are investigating it due to its “untimely” nature.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
