Evan Ellingson: Child star known for his role in 'My Sister's Keeper' and 'CSI: Miami' dies in accident at 35
FONTANA, CALIFORNIA: Evan Ellingson's cause of death has finally been revealed. The 35-year-old former child star, who was known for his role in the 2009 movie 'My Sister's Keeper' and 'CSI: Miami', was found dead on Sunday, November 5, inside the bedroom of his residence in Fontana, California.
An autopsy was then scheduled for Monday, November 6. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's coroner has since listed Ellingson's manner of death as an "Accident," as of Tuesday, November 28.
Evan Ellingson struggled with addiction
According to TMZ, Ellingson's father previously told the outlet that the actor struggled with addiction and died in a sober-living home. Ellingson hasn't appeared onscreen in over a decade. He played the son of Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric's characters in 'My Sister's Keeper' and on 'CSI: Miami' he starred as the son of David Caruso's Lt Horatio Caine.
He was also a regular on the television series 'Complete Savages' which aired from 2004 to 2005, and he played the nephew of Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer on 24.
Abigail Breslin paid tribute to Ellingson
Abigail Breslin, who co-starred with Ellingson as his sister in 'My Sister's Keeper' paid tribute to him on Instagram, remembering him as "a kind, funny and extremely talented human being."
"Evan was a genuinely thoughtful person who cared so much about turning in the best performance, which he accomplished," she wrote, adding "Some of his scenes in 'MSK' still give me chills. He was also silly, funny, a prankster, a lover of Red Bull (I hated the smell of Red Bull) and he was energetic and the life of the party."
Breslin, 27, added, "I didn’t keep in touch a lot with him after the film, but he always stayed in my mind as a wonderful and sweet soul, one I am grateful to have crossed paths with. My prayers and condolences are with his family at this difficult time."
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According to the actor's bio on IMDB, Ellingson was raised in La Verne, California, with three brothers. He was "discovered at a skate park and was asked to not only skate for the Vans PeeWee team, but to do a commercial for the Vans Company."
Ellingson's "unmistakable charisma and talent" led to him being "asked to do a trilogy of short films playing a character that was written specifically for him," which landed him more roles, his bio added.
He told The Philippine Star in 2009, "I never had the same [childhood] experience with my friends. I never had more time with them. However, my childhood was a cool one. I was busy doing the things I love. I had no regrets because I found my passion for acting early on."