The San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner has determined one-time child star Evan Ellingson died of an accidental fentanyl overdose. An autopsy was performed on Monday, November 6 for Ellingson, who was found dead at his Fontana home the day before. His cause of death is listed on the coroner’s website as “accident”.
Ellingson was best known for his lead role in the 2009 film My Sister’s Keeper and also for his work on CSI: Miami. He was 35.
In the cancer drama My Sister’s Keeper, directed by Nick Cassavetes, Ellingson played the son of Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric and the brother to Abigail Breslin. The film, based on Jodi Picoult’s 2004 novel, also starred Sofia Vassilieva and Alec Baldwin.
His career began with guest spots on Mad TV, later moving on to a series regular role on Fox sitcom Titus in 2002. He portrayed Kyle Savage, the son of single dad Keith Carradine in ABC sitcom Complete Savages in 2004. He also played a key dramatic role as Kiefer Sutherland’s nephew Josh Bauer in 24 and as Kyle Harmon, David Caruso’s son in Seasons 6, 7 and 8 in CSI: Miami.
His film work included Clint Eastwood‘s Letters from Iwo Jima.