How Did Mya-Lecia Naylor Die? New Details On The Tragic Death Of The BBC Star
16 yea old BBC star Mya-Lecia Naylor died suddenly this month. What happened?
Instagram Fans of the British television show Almost Never were stunned and saddened to hear of the sudden death of 16-year-old actress Mya-Lecia Naylor. Naylor, a well-known child star, died suddenly after collapsing on April 7, 2019. In a statement about her passing, the CBBC said: "Mya-Lecia was a much-loved part of the BBC Children's family, and a hugely talented actress, singer and dancer.” Her show Almost Never was about a boyband called The Wonderland and a rival girl group called Girls Here First. The two bands interacted as they competed on a fictional TV talent competition The Spotlight. How did Mya-Lecia Naylor die?
1. Many performances
Mya was known for her many roles on various shows. She first appeared as a toddler in Absolutely Fabulous as Saffy’s daughter Jane. She went on to play parts such as Millie Inbetween and Almost Never. Recently, she has been part of the band Angels N’ Bandits. She also had the title role in the ITV series Tati’s Hotel. She was also known for playing Miro in Cloud Atlas, alongside Halle Berry and Tom Hanks.
2. Sudden death
News of Mya-Lecia’s death broke after her management company A&J Management issued a statement saying “It is with the deepest sorrow we have to announce that on Sunday, 7 April, Mya-Lecia Naylor, very sadly, died. Mya-Lecia was hugely talented and a big part of A&J. We will miss her greatly. Our love and thoughts are with all her family and friends at this difficult time.” The agency didn’t relay a cause of death in their statement.
3. BBC reaction
Alice Webb, the director of BBC Children’s, expressed the feelings of everyone at the network, saying, “She has shone so brightly on our screens … and it’s unthinkable that she won’t be part of our journey going forward. She was hugely popular with our audience, a very talented actress, dancer and singer, and a real role model for her young fans.” Webb went on to say, “We know this news is very upsetting, and it may help to share how you are feeling with friends or a trusted adult. If you are struggling and there is no one you feel you can talk to about it, you can call Childline on 0800 11 11.”
BBC statement on Mya's death.
4. Mourned by friends
Millie Innes, who started alongside Naylor on Millie Inbetween took to social media to express her sadness. She posted on Instagram, “Devastated for Mya. The pain of her passing has been awful. Mya and I grew up together over the past five years and had an extremely close relationship. I will always cherish our friendship and the moments we spent together beautiful girl.” Paul Rose, who created Almost Never, tweeted "Far too young, and a huge loss for all on the show. My heart goes out to her family.” Emily Attack, Naylor’s co-star on Almost Never, said "So shocked and sad to hear about lovely Mya-Lecia Naylor. She was a beautiful and talented girl. A complete joy to be around on the set of Almost Never. Sending all my love to her family & friends. Rest in peace beautiful girl x,"
Friends mourn her passing.
5. Future plans
The teen star had recently been excited about her next steps, telling a magazine that she was looking forward to getting back into posting on YouTube after she completed some school exams. She also hinted at some other projects, saying “I have been filming a few things here and there but everything’s a bit hush hush at the moment so I can’t really speak about it yet but be on the lookout because there’s going to be some amazing projects out real soon!’
Fans are devastated.
6. Cause of death
It is currently not known what caused Mya-Lecia’s death. Croydon Coroner’s Court in England will only confirm that it is investigating the matter but hasn’t released any information at this time. A neighbor said that Mya’s father told her “‘He told me that Mya had collapsed. He was about to break down when he added: “We’ve lost our baby”. The neighbor went on to tel the Mail “I feel so sorry for them. She was such a young, happy and beautiful girl with everything to live for.”
UPDATE:
The South London Coroner’s Office ruled Naylor died “by misadventure,” according to BBC News and The Guardian. According to South London assistant coroner Toby Watkin, Naylor, who died by hanging, didn't intend to kill herself.
“Death by misadventure” is a specific and unique ruling in England, meaning that "the victim has died by accident either whilst doing something they should not have been doing or by taking risks that would put them in mortal danger."
With the cast of Almost Never.
There is no set timeline for when the coroner will share more information about Mya’s untimely death. Our hearts go out to her friends and family,
Rebekah Kuschmider has been writing about celebrities, pop culture, entertainment, and politics since 2010. Her work has been seen at Ravishly, Babble, Scary Mommy, The Mid, Redbook online, and The Broad Side. She is the creator of the blog Stay at Home Pundit and she is a cohost of the weekly podcast The More Perfect Union.