The Kid From Ladybugs Killed Himself

[Ksyrup]

Sorry, but that was my honest initial reaction to reading this story. I never even heard about it, and it apparently happened a couple of weeks ago.


LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The death of 27-year-old actor Jonathan Brandis, who starred in two seasons of Steven Spielberg's "SeaQuest DSV," was a suicide, the county coroner's office said Monday.

Brandis, who died November 12, hanged himself, the coroner said.

Brandis started his career in commercials and on television, landing a recurring role on the soap "One Life to Live" at age 6. He also made guest appearances on "L.A. Law," "Who's the Boss?" and "Murder, She Wrote."

His film credits included the starring role in 1991's "The Neverending Story 2: The Next Chapter," the Rodney Dangerfield comedy "Ladybugs," and the martial arts comedy "Sidekicks" with Chuck Norris.

Link (http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/25/actors.death.ap/index.html)

[cthomer5000]

Wow. I'm truly amazed at the complete lack of media coverage around this. I'm shocked I haven't heard about this earlier than 10+ days after the fact.

[CamEdwards]

honestly? I mean, it was the kid from "Ladybugs". How much press did you think his death would merit?

BTW, this story has the slowest burn rate of any I've ever seen. His death was, what... two and a half weeks ago? I saw the story on Fark last week (last Thursday, I think), and again over the weekend, and again today.

Maybe there's not a lack of coverage... it's just being spread out over a month or two.

[Ksyrup]

I wonder what about his death - by hanging, no less - took them 2 weeks to conclude that it was a suicide. Odd.

[SackAttack]

He was supposedly a teen heartthrob back in his SeaQuest days, or so said TV Guide at the time.

I enjoyed the show, but that was the only thing I was familiar with him from.

I wonder if it was really suicide, or some kind of autoerotic asphyxiation thing. That could be why it took 'em so long to figure it out.

[RPI-Fan]

I wonder if it was really suicide, or some kind of autoerotic asphyxiation thing. That could be why it took 'em so long to figure it out.

Been watching SVU?

[The Afoci]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I wonder what about his death - by hanging, no less - took them 2 weeks to conclude that it was a suicide. Odd.

My best friend was found hanging in his closet my senior year of high school. It turned out he was suffocated after being hit in the head with an object and then set up to hang. The guy was convicted with his defense saying they were hanging each other to get high, only he didn't want to let him down this time. It was proven he wasn't awake when he was hung. Bastard got double time and now they think they have a case on a kid in Colorado where this guy worked who died in a similiar way that wasn't looked into too much.

[SackAttack]

Originally posted by RPI-Fan
Been watching SVU?

I watch very little non-sports TV, as a general rule.

But the topic has been broached in some of the Lawrence Block novels I've read.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I wonder what about his death - by hanging, no less - took them 2 weeks to conclude that it was a suicide. Odd.

For any death, no matter how seemingly obvious - everything is examined. See the Afoci's story above for just one example of why seemingly obvious deaths aren't just glossed over by the police dept. and coroners office.

[Ksyrup]

I understand that, but what I'm saying is, most of the time, absent anything suspicious, a ruling in a case like this is made within a couple of days. I'm just wondering what is was that made them look at it more closely, that's all.