Skye McCole Bartusiak

Skye McCole Bartusiak (September 28, 1992 – July 19, 2014) was an American film and television actress. She appeared in The Patriot (2000), Don't Say a Word (2001), as Rose Wilderin Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder (2002), 24 (2002–03), Boogeyman (2005), and Kill Your Darlings (2006).

McCole Bartusiak died at age 21 in her apartment behind her parents' home. Her death was ruled the result of an accidental drug overdose.[1] McCole Bartusiak's mother stated her daughter suffered epileptic seizures as a baby and believed it had a role in her death.[2]

Early life
Skye McCole Bartusiak was born in Houston, Texas, where she lived with her parents, Helen (née McCole) and Donald Bartusiak, until her death.[3]

Career
McCole Bartusiak first starred in Stephen King's Storm of the Century as young Pippa Hatcher. In 2000, she appeared in The Patriot as the youngest child of a militia leader portrayed by Mel Gibson.[4] She played the young Marilyn Monroe in the TV miniseries Blonde, and the psychiatrist's daughter in Don't Say a Word alongside Michael Douglas and Brittany Murphy, both in 2001.[4] She also played young Charlie McGee in Firestarter: Rekindled and Megan Matheson during season two of the television series 24 (2002–2003).[4][5]

McCole Bartusiak made an appearance in the short film The Vest in 2003 and played the part of The Girl in Once Not Far from Home in 2005.[6] She also tried her hand at theatre, playing in The Miracle Worker alongside Hilary Swank at the Charlotte Theatre in North Carolina.[7]

In 2003, McCole Bartusiak returned to period drama with Love Comes Softly, and a year later she played the young Jackie in Against the Ropes alongside Meg Ryan.[5] In 2005, she received main billing for her role as Franny Roberts in the hit horror film Boogeyman.[5] She starred in the "Kids" episode of the hospital drama series House,[8] and took a lead role as Sunshine in the film Kill Your Darlings, playing a troubled teen willing to do anything to get the attention of her busy father.[9]

Death
On July 19, 2014, McCole Bartusiak died in her apartment behind her parents' Houston home. Her mother told CNN and the Associated Pressthat Skye's boyfriend found the actress sitting up in her bed; Helen began CPR on her daughter before the arrival of paramedics, who then worked "for 45 minutes" to resuscitate. Her mother said Skye "had been healthy and did not drink or do drugs", but had recently been suffering from epileptic seizures; she believed that this fact had likely played a role in her daughter's death.[4][10] A memorial service was held in Houston six days later; her brother Stephen told mourners: "If you want to know what makes Skye happy, go out and plant a tree."[11]

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences ruled in October 2014 that McCole Bartusiak's death was an accident. The "combined toxic effects of hydrocodone and difluoroethane with carisoprodol" were listed as the main cause of death.[1]