Matthew Mindler, Former Child Star, Died By Suicide With $15 Amazon Product
UPDATE, OCTOBER 14: Former child star Matthew Mindler died by suicide by using sodium nitrate that he ordered from Amazon.com, his mother said today.
Mindler bought the product for $15. The Lancaster County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that he died from suicide by sodium nitrate toxicity. Sodium nitrate is used to preserve foods and kills by causing low blood pressure and limiting the flow of oxygen to the body.
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Monica Mindler said she discovered the Amazon connection while looking at her son’s internet search history after his death. The actor looked up information on buying sodium nitrate and how it was used to end life painlessly. He ordered enough to kill four people, she said.
Monica Mindler said she wanted to warn other families who might be unaware of the dangers of the substance.
Amazon has not yet commented.
UPDATED with cause of death: Former child star Matthew Mindler, who went missing from his rural Millersville University campus in Pennsylvania earlier this week, has been confirmed dead.
The Lancaster County (PA) Coroner’s Office on Monday confirmed the manner of death was by suicide, the news site Lancaster Online reported. A toxicology report is pending.
The university confirmed his death Saturday with an announcement to the student body. “It is with a grieving heart that I let you know of the death of 19-year-old Matthew Mindler from Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a first-year student at Millersville University.
“A search had been underway for Matthew since Thursday, after he was reported missing. Matthew was found deceased this morning, Saturday, August 28, in Manor Township near campus.”
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Mindler costarred with Paul Rudd in 2011’s My Idiot Brother, and had just began his freshman year. He was reported missing on Wednesday Aug. 25, according to a press release from the Millersville University Police Department.
His family alerted authorities that he had left his dorm room and did not return to his room or class the following day.
Mindler’s last acting role was the 2016 TV movie, Chad: An American Boy.
Millersville University reported that Mindler went missing Tuesday evening. “He was last seen walking from his residence hall, West Villages toward the Centennial Dr. parking lot area at 8:11 p.m. Tuesday night. He was wearing a white Millersville University hooded sweatshirt with black stripes on the arm, a black backpack, jeans and white sneakers. Matt attended classes Monday and Tuesday, but did not attend yesterday or this morning,” the campus police noted.
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