New developments have emerged in the tragic case of 24-year-old actress Sophie Nighwite, as her official death certificate reveals that she was pregnant when her body was discovered along a riverbank in Vermont. Investigators are continuing to explore the circumstances surrounding her death, with accidental overdose being considered the most probable cause.
According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, Sophie was in the early stages of pregnancy when her body was found shortly before 5 am on April 14 in Bennington, Vermont, nearly 40 km from her residence. While the official cause of death has yet to be determined pending autopsy results, police are giving serious consideration to the possibility of an accidental overdose.
The notion of foul play has not been dismissed, particularly since her body was recovered from the riverbank. A man present at the scene is cooperating with the investigation but is not currently deemed a suspect. Sophie’s mother, Shelley, spoke with TMZ, revealing that she was aware of her daughter’s substance use, stating, “She was a very petite girl.” She mentioned that Sophie was with others at the time of her death but did not know their identities.
Sophie Nighwite launched her acting career at a young age, featuring in films such as “Noah,” “Bella,” and “Shadows & Lies,” along with appearances on the series “Law & Order.” Her mother shared that Sophie had a genuine passion for acting and had avoided the negative experiences that often affect child actors in the industry.
Her father characterized Sophie as “creative, athletic, and wise beyond her years,” highlighting her determination to pursue acting from an early age. Born on July 8, 2000, in Burlington, Vermont, Sophie’s aspiration to become an actress was ignited by films she watched at the “Village Picture Shows Cinema” in Manchester, Vermont, which was purchased by her mother, Shelley Gibson, a former actress, in 2003. “She grew up in that cinema, slept there, and had a little bed in the screening room where she watched many movies,” Shelley had recounted in a 2010 interview.
At just 4 years old, after seeing Nancy Meyers’ film “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003), Sophie first articulated her dream of becoming an actress. “I kept begging my mom to let me be an actress. She thought it was funny because she had been an actress before I was born… but I didn’t know that,” she mentioned.
“She gives me a lot of useful advice and pointers,” Sophie shared in another interview in 2010, adding, “She shows me how to get into character, like practicing in front of a mirror or by myself, going over it until I get it right, experimenting with different approaches, and seeing how it feels to me.”
Sophie Nighwite’s first role was in the film “Bella” (2006), where she portrayed the title character in a screenplay directed by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde, alongside Eduardo Verástegui and Tammy Blanchard. The film received the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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