Mookie Betts Sends Message To Injured Little Leaguer ... 'We Are Praying For You!!!'
11:28 AM PT -- Awesome gesture from MLB superstar Mookie Betts ... the Dodgers outfielder sent a video message to Oliverson -- saying in it, "We are praying for you!"
Betts is Easton's favorite player ... and in another update from the family on Wednesday, they said the 12-year-old was alert enough to appreciate the well wishes from the Big Leaguer.
"[His father] showed him the video this morning," the family said in a statement, "and he started to cry."
The family said Easton also woke up long enough to drink water and eat vanilla pudding. The Utah pitcher/outfielder also was able to say his name and his age, the family said.
Oliverson's father, according to the family, added that he wanted to "emphasize that while Easton is making TREMENDOUS progress, he still has a very long road ahead."
"We are asking for you to continue to send prayers," the family continued. "We know that Easton is capable, but with his prayer army behind him -- he can be unstoppable!"
The 12-year-old who suffered severe injuries in a fall from his bunk bed at the Little League World Series is showing encouraging signs of recovery ... with his family announcing Tuesday night his breathing tube is now out.
Easton Oliverson -- who pitches and plays the outfield for the Snow Canyon Little League team -- is still in a hospital bed and still being monitored, but the family called the removal of the breathing tube "a big step."
Oliverson's family also said he received results from an MRI scan that "came out very promising."
"Easton keeps proving himself to be the fighter we have always known he is!!" the Oliverson family said in a statement. "The prayers are working! Please keep them coming. We love you all!🤍"
Oliverson was initially injured on Sunday night -- shortly after he and his Little League teammates made it to Williamsport, Penn. for this week's World Series.
His uncle, Spencer Beck, told TMZ Sports Easton was sleeping on the top of a bunk bed when he suddenly fell out and hit his head. He suffered, among other injuries, a fractured skull -- and required emergency surgery.
The family has set up a Venmo account, @MiraclesForTank, to help cover his medical expenses.
His team, meanwhile, has said it will still play in its LLWS-opening game later this week.
Originally Published -- 6:04 AM PT
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A$AP ROCKY Alleged Victim A$AP Relli ... Thrilled Cops and D.A. Believed Him in Shooting Case
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A$AP Rocky is in hot water after being charged with assault for a shooting in Hollywood ... and the alleged victim couldn't be happier.
Jamal Tooson, the attorney for A$AP Relli, tells TMZ ... his client feels vindicated the justice system worked for him, despite the stature of Rocky.
Tooson says Relli's life was shattered by the experience ... Relli says even though he wasn't hit by a bullet, he came within inches of death, and the experience has had a profound psychological impact on him.
A$AP Relli Receiving Death Threats After A$AP Rocky Allegedly Shot Him
The lawyer goes on to say Rocky is so powerful in Hollywood and specifically in the music industry, Relli, who is a music producer, felt he would not be believed and drummed out of the business. He believed if he pressed the case, people would just dismiss it as a money grab.
Relli says his faith in the justice system has been restored, because both the police and the D.A. believed him enough to file 2 serious felony charges against Rocky.
Relli sued Rocky in civil court last week, claiming Rocky fired multiple shots at him with a semiautomatic firearm, resulting in injuries to his hand after being struck by bullet fragments that required medical attention. Relli's attorneys told us since the shooting he's been the victim of online harassment, including death threats.
Tooson says A$AP Rocky being charged with two counts of assault should provide peace of mind not just to A$AP Relli, but to the residents of Los Angeles County who have recently experienced terrifying situations involving gun violence.
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Mama June I'm Taking My Ex-Friend to Court ... Watch Me Kick His Ass on Live TV!!!
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Mama June can't seem to stay away from all the reality TV drama ... she's going on a live, courtroom show ... suing a former friend she claims screwed her over.
Production sources tell TMZ ... Mama June will be a plaintiff on A&E's "Court Night Live." She's suing ex-friend Adam Barta, a fellow content creator.
Mama June and Adam worked on a YouTube show together where they yakked about pop culture and created other social media content. She claims what started as friendly advice turned into daily consults and that he promised to pay her for her help but stiffed her, so she's suing on the A&E show for $5k.
Adam says he had a close relationship with June and they each did things for the other without any obligation of repayment. He says he helped June in her time of need and was there for her ... so they're even.
Judge Greg Mathis presides over "Court Night Live" with Vinnie Politan doing the hosting and retired Judge Vonda Evans providing analysis.
The case will be heard live on A&E Wednesday at 9 PM.
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LeRoy Butler Opportunities Rolling In After HOF Enshrinement
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"If you're a Green Bay Packer, a lot doors open up for you. If you win a championship, all doors open up, but when you're in the Hall of Fame, football heaven opens up for you."
That's newly minted Pro Football Hall of Famer, LeRoy Butler ... who tells TMZ Sports the opportunities have been rolling in since his enshrinement in Canton.
"My assistant is getting a lot of phone calls," the 54-year-old former Packers star says, adding ... "Some of them are just to feel you out, but some of them are stuff that I always wanted to work on."
And, there's one very special project in the works.
"I'm doing a documentary that my daughters are writing about my life story."
Still, as great as the money and business opportunities are, it's not the most important part for LeRoy.
"I was very excited for my family, man. My kids. I love my kids more than myself, and they really enjoyed it."
We also talked to Butler about a comment fellow HOF'er Deion Sanders made -- where Primetime said too many players were inducted into the Hall ("the Hall of Fame ain’t the Hall of Fame no more") -- an assertion which the former Packers DB disagrees.
"See that's confusing me. I'm assuming he knows there's only 362 guys in there. And maybe 170 living. But see, when you make it first ballot, it's not that big of a deal," LeRoy said, alluding to the fact that Sanders was an absolute lock to be inducted.
Butler says it's different "when you have to wait 16 years."
The Hall of Fame was the last unchecked box in what was a historic career for LeRoy. The Super Bowl 31 champ was a 4x first-team All-Pro who was named to the NFL's 1990s All-Decade squad.
Congrats, LeRoy!!
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Big Red Cheerleader In 'Bring It On' 'Memba Her?!
American actress Lindsay Sloane was 22 years old when she was cast as Big Red -- the captain cheerleader at Rancho Carne High School who tends to be bossy, full of herself and guilty of stealing cheers from other schools -- in the 2000 cheerleading film "Bring It On."
Lindsay shared the big screen with Kirsten Dunst as the new team captain, Torrance Shipman, Gabrielle Union as Torrance's rival cheer captain, Isis, Eliza Dushku as the new student and gymnast turned cheerleader, Missy Pantone and Jesse Bradford as the electric guitar player and Torrance's crush, Cliff Pantone.
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'Breaking Bad' Cranston, Paul Statues Spur GOP Outrage ... 'Glorifying Meth Makers'!!!
Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are forever enshrined in bronze in the city of Albuquerque -- something conservatives there are up in arms about, claiming the statues glorify meth.
Late last month, Mayor Tim Keller unveiled 2 statues to honor the 'Breaking Bad' stars -- they're now on display at the Albuquerque Convention Center -- after a ceremony where BC and AP were actually on hand to pose with their metal counterparts.
It was a kitschy, fun thing that seemed fairly innocent -- as a shout-out to the actors and show for putting a spotlight on their city and state -- but now, some Republicans in the state are fuming over the honor.
Conservative radio host Eddy Aragon and state representative Rod Montoya say the statues send the wrong message about who should be glorified in the community.
Montoya says "meth dealers" shouldn't be the shining example in Albuquerque, and Aragon adds ... "It’s not the type of recognition we want for the city of Albuquerque, or for our state."
Aragon goes on to gripe about how city officials tore down a controversial statue of Albuquerque's first Spanish governor, Juan de Onate, because he was a conquistador ... but now turn around and throw these two fictional characters as proverbial beacons.
This sort of backlash was actually expected, Mayor Keller warned of this when they were first getting unveiled, saying he understood, but defended having Jesse Pinkman and Walter White statues because of the cautionary tale they represented, and the jobs they gave to NM.
Can't please everyone, right?
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Jake Paul Rips KSI For Two Fights In One Night ... Sounds Like Publicity Stunt!!!
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KSI is taking on not one, but TWO challengers when he steps in the ring on Aug. 27 ... and his rival Jake Paul is crapping all over the idea -- saying the whole thing sounds like a setup.
The English YouTuber is slated to fight both rapper Swarmz AND Bulgarian pro middleweight Ivan Nikolov (3-16-2) at the O2 in London ... which is not the first time a boxer has had more than one opponent in a night.
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In fact, George Foreman took FIVE fights in one day back in 1975 ... but as Jake points out, it wasn't necessarily a great experience for the fans.
"George Foreman fought 4 people in 1 night and it was an awful showing," Paul said on Twitter minutes ago.
"At first it seemed like a good idea but eventually it actually pissed the fans off because they realized all the opponents were put in to lose. It was was basically a stunt, not worth the price of admission."
Jake's assessment isn't wrong -- reports from the night claim fans were booing by the time Foreman showed up on the scene.
Even though he doesn't mention him by name, it's obvious Jake is talking about KSI's new announcement ... which promoters are hoping will keep fans interested after Alex Wassabi had to pull out due to a concussion.
As for Jake and KSI getting in the ring, they just agreed to take a fight in 2023.
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Kobe Bryant Photo Trial Deputy Testifies In Court ... I Sent Crash Pics To Cop During Video Game Session
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Stunning revelation in the courtroom during the Kobe Bryant photo trial case Tuesday ... a deputy testified that he sent another cop graphic pics from the crash site while the two were in the middle of a "Call Of Duty" gaming sesh.
Michael Russell -- an L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. deputy -- says the exchange of the photos happened shortly after the Lakers legend and his daughter, Gianna, perished in the tragic, Jan. 2020 helicopter crash.
Russell, who claimed he had initially received the photos from fellow deputy Joey Cruz hours after the wreck, said he joined a video game party with Santa Clarita deputy Ben Sanchez the following day.
While the two were playing the first-person shooter game, Russell testified he told Sanchez he had the photos, and then asked if he wanted to see them. When the cop said yes, Russell said he sent them over.
Russell admitted in court that he had no business doing that. He also testified that he received nothing more than a minor write-up as punishment.
Cruz, meanwhile, also testified in court on Tuesday ... and did admit to showing the photos to a bartender as well.
Cruz said he did it to relieve the stress he had been dealing with due to the situation -- and testified that he did feel remorseful over it all.
Vanessa Bryant, who is suing for, among other things, emotional distress, was present in court -- though she did leave the room for at least part of Cruz's testimony.
The trial is expected to continue on throughout this week.
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Christian Slater Unloads MIA Home In Just 3 Days!!!
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Christian Slater's Florida home didn't last long ... selling way above asking price after just 3 days on the market!
Real estate sources tell TMZ the "Mr. Robot" actor sold his 4-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom pad in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood for $4.258 million ... which was 10% above the $3.950 million asking price.
The Italian-inspired home comes with all the bells and whistles, with an oversized primary suite with a balcony and a huge rooftop terrace. There's also a detached guest suite with an entertaining area, bedroom and full bathroom.
Of course, the backyard comes complete with a pool for the Florida heat.
Liz Hogan and Charles Celesia with Compass represented Christian in the sale. The buyer, Mafer CG LLC, was represented by Jeannette Behrens with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
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Rick Ross Company Hit w/ Huge Fines Labor Violations at Wingstop Locations
1:00 PM PT -- 8/17 -- Rick addressed the drama on his Instagram, saying he'll use the mistake as a time to learn and to make improvements ... then he put on some music and took a sip of booze, doesn't appear the Boss is all that worried, and things will sort themselves out.
Rick Ross and his family are under fire in Mississippi for allegedly skimming money from the wages of their Wingstop workers -- and now they've been hit with fines.
The U.S. Department of Labor says they hit Boss Wings Enterprises LLC -- Rick Ross's company -- with a $114,427 fine for back wages and other penalties after the agency determined their franchises were violating labor laws.
Unclear what period of time this covers exactly, but the DOL claims that after an investigation into 5 locations -- all owned and operated by Boss Wings -- they found many of the employees were taking home less than $7.25/hour after factoring in all the deductions -- a big no-no under the minimum wage laws on the books.
The reason ... DOL alleges the owners of these specific franchises were forcing workers to pay for uniforms, basic safety training, background checks and cash register shortages.
The department also claims the bosses at these 5 restaurants were, in many instances, working their employees to the bone ... making them work overtime without properly compensating them and not keeping clean time records on hand.
Not just this, but DOL claims they found one instance when a 15-year-old employee worked past 10 PM several times in June 2021 -- which the agency claims ran afoul of a law prohibiting workers that young from working past 7 PM.
All in all, the DOL hit Boss Wings with $51,674 in back wages/damages for 244 workers -- and additional fines of nearly $63,000.
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A labor official says, "Restaurant industry employees work hard, often for low wages, and many depend on every dollar earned to make ends meet. The law prevents Boss Wing Enterprises LLC from shifting operating costs to workers by deducting the costs of uniforms, cash register shortages or training expenses, or to allow a worker’s pay to fall below the minimum wage rate."
Rick has been growing his Wingstop empire for years now, and even recently gifted his teenage daughter her own franchise. His sister, Tawanda, is listed as the registered agent of Boss Wings. We've reached out to her and Rick for comment ... so far, no word back.
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Angelina Jolie Behind FBI Lawsuit Against Brad Pitt ... Pitt Sources Call BS
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Angelina Jolie may be trying to run Brad Pitt's name through the mud all over again, because the information she's trying to obtain through the FBI and a FOIA request is allegedly info to which she was already privy ... sources close to Brad tell TMZ.
Puck published a story Tuesday, claiming to have seen the details of Angie's FOIA lawsuit against the FBI. In its report, Puck says it's viewed the suit -- which has since been sealed -- which claims Brad put hands on Angelina and poured beer on her while in flight.
The lawsuit was filed anonymously back in April, but there were signs the person who filed was Angelina. We've now confirmed she was indeed the one who filed the lawsuit.
Our Brad sources say AJ's had the info for years, and believe she's only filed the FOIA lawsuit to get the press talking about the allegations against Brad again.
The lawsuit reportedly claims Brad grabbed Angelina by the shoulders and shook her violently while yelling, "You're f***ing up this family." Of course, this was the same flight where Brad allegedly put his hands on the couple's oldest son, Maddox, in 2016. Angelina has claimed Brad struck Maddox, something he has denied.
We've obtained documents from the FBI investigation which clearly state that FBI agents met with reps from the U.S. Attorney's Office and state, "It was agreed by all parties that criminal charges in this case would not be pursued due to several factors."
Our Brad sources say he was cleared because there was not a shred of evidence to support the claims made by Angelina.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles had no comment.
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'Kids in the Hall's Dave Foley Swipes at Amazon ... They Ruined the World!!!
Dave Foley sorta bit the hand that feeds a bit this weekend -- taking a shot at the streaming company that's hosting his old sketch show ... claiming Amazon is ruining planet Earth.
The comedian/actor was on hand Sunday at the Beverly Hilton hotel, where the HCA TV Awards were underway and handing out trophies for shows ... both on traditional TV and on streaming. He won for his newest season of 'Kids in the Hall,' which was revived for a 6th season this year on Amazon Prime -- this after the OG show's been off the air for decades.
During his acceptance speech for Best Streaming Variety Sketch Series, DF thanked a bunch of people in very off-the-cuff remarks -- and along the way, remembered to thank Amazon.
Watch ... Foley sarcastically mentions Amazon, saying despite polluting the planet/ruining the environment -- they make some great TV, so yippee! It's kinda funny, but big picture ... it's a little cringeworthy ... especially when you consider Dave literally has a working relationship with them now, as they're financing/producing the new season(s) of his series.
'KITH' originally ran from 1988 to '95 over the course of 5 seasons, which aired in a variety of places ... from HBO to CBC TV and, eventually, CBS. You can now stream the old episodes for free on Amazon Prime ... as well as Pluto and The Roku Chanel.
Unclear if Dave here was just being irreverent, but it doesn't appear he thought his speech through ... which, frankly, might affect his show down the line. The HCA TV Awards is a high-profile affair these days -- especially with the pausing of the Globes -- and there's a lot of famous faces at this event. So a public swipe at Amazon like that didn't go unnoticed. 😬
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'Missing' Australian Actress No Foul Play, But She's Behind Bars!!!
The Australian actress whose family claimed she went missing after going on a date with someone she met online has been found ... turns out, cops say she's been in jail the whole time!!!
Here's the deal ... Laura McCulloch, an actress and singer in Los Angeles, scared the crap out of her family back in Australia when she seemingly fell off the grid after going on a first date.
Laura's family cried to Australian news outlets over the weekend, saying she was last seen Friday at a restaurant in Santa Monica, then failed to show up to her day job and yoga class. The family says they became concerned when they couldn't reach her by phone and reported her as missing to the LAPD.
But, here's what really happened.
Santa Monica Police tell TMZ ... Laura was arrested Friday night in Santa Monica after police got a call to the popular 3rd Street Promenade for a reported battery.
Cops say when they got to the scene, they were told Laura threw a drink at a fellow diner and their kid.
It doesn't sound like Laura is getting a second date with her mystery man ... police say when they approached her, she showed obvious signs of intoxication and charged at the officers while shouting expletives.
Cops say they tried to calm her down, but Laura continued being aggressive ... and when police went to detain her, officers say she became physically combative, kicking at officers and biting a cop on the shoulder.
Laura was booked into Santa Monica Jail early Saturday morning for public intoxication and resisting arrest, and we're told she spent the weekend behind bars and did not contact anyone she knows.
We're told the actress went before a judge Tuesday and is still in custody.
This might be the only time a family will be pleased to learn their loved one is in jail.
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Anne Heche Desperate 911 Call from Crash Scene ... Someone is Trapped
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Anne Heche was trapped in her vehicle as fire quickly spread and onlookers worked desperately to get her out ... and the panic plays out in the 911 call from the scene.
The caller -- who appears to be a neighbor of the home Anne crashed into -- tells the dispatcher Anne's car went through the home "very fast." At first, it doesn't appear the caller is aware of the fact Anne is trapped in the car, but you can hear people yelling in the background making it clear that someone is in trouble.
The call gets much more desperate when smoke starts to surround the vehicle -- and the caller works to get a water hose to the crash scene.
You can start to hear sirens in the background as the caller states the smoke is getting really black and fire breaks out ... and there's more shouting in the background about someone being trapped.
TMZ broke the story, it was August 5 when Anne crashed into the home -- an event that put her in a coma and eventually killed her. Law enforcement sources told us the actress had cocaine and possibly fentanyl in her system at the time of the crash.
Anne was declared brain dead Friday and taken off life support on Sunday, a medical team worked to harvest some of her organs for donation.
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Little League World Series Player In Coma After Fall From Bunk Bed ... 'We're All Praying For Him'
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8:51 AM PT -- In a statement released Tuesday morning, Oliverson's family said the baseball player is showing positive signs of recovery.
"Just 36 hours ago, Easton was 30 minutes from passing away," the family said. "Now 36 hours later, he has a team of Trauma 1 doctors who are in absolute awe of his tremendous progress."
"One of his doctors said that everything they have hoped Easton to be able to do in the last 12 hours, he has done and more."
The family is asking for continued prayers.
A 12-year-old baseball player gearing up to compete in this week's Little League World Series in Pennsylvania is now fighting for his life -- after he fell from a bunk bed at the Williamsport venue's dormitory complex over the weekend.
Easton Oliverson -- who pitches and plays outfield for the Snow Canyon Little League team that's making its first-ever LLWS appearance this month -- sustained a fractured skull in the incident Sunday night, according to his uncle, Spencer Beck.
Beck tells TMZ Sports ... Oliverson was sleeping on the top bunk, when he suddenly fell out of the bed and hit his head. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery.
Beck tells us Oliverson, who's earned the nickname "Tank," is currently in a medically induced coma -- though he and the rest of the family are optimistic the boy will make a recovery.
"He's a really good kid, very loving," Beck said. "Full of smiles. Just a fun, fun kid -- so we're all praying for him."
Little League officials released a statement Monday regarding Oliverson's condition ... saying, "At the request of his family, Little League International encourages all to join us in keeping the Snow Canyon Little League player and his family in our thoughts and prayers, as we wish for a full and complete recovery."
"Little League International will continue to use all available resources, including those provided by UPMC in North Central Pa., through the Player Wellness Center, to support the player, his family, and his coaches and teammates, as we navigate this unfortunate situation."
Oliverson's team, meanwhile, said it will still compete in its first game of the World Series in Williamsport on Friday -- writing in a statement that Oliverson's father, who's a coach on the squad, wanted them to continue onward in the tournament.
"While our hearts are heavy," the team said in the statement, "we are committed as a team to have an opportunity to take part in something that is only dreamt about by others."
Beck tells us the family has set up a Venmo account for Oliverson -- @MiraclesForTank -- to help with medical expenses.
Originally Published -- 7:37 AM PT
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Anne Heche Crash Scene Video From Inside Home ... Looks Like a War Zone
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New video from the scene of Anne Heche's fiery car crash shows a house in shambles ... it looks like a bomb went off inside the home where Anne's car barreled through.
TMZ obtained this footage from the Los Angeles home Anne smashed into with her Mini Cooper, and you see firefighters examining the charred remnants, trying to piece together what happened.
After looking at the video, it's incredible the woman living in the home, Lynne Mishele, was not killed when Anne came plowing through.
We're told Lynne had just walked into another room to do some chores when the house was suddenly the scene of a scary crash ... and the area Lynne was in, fortunately, did not collapse or immediately catch fire, unlike other parts of her home.
While Lynne survived, we're told she's having a hard time dealing with the fallout ... suffering from physical and mental injuries.
Lynne has attorney Shawn Holley on her side to help with next steps, like handling insurance claims and helping pick up the pieces of her life.
Holley tells TMZ ... "I am only here to help Lynne go through the process of dealing with insurance companies so that she can start rebuilding her life. This was never about lawsuits or making money. She has lost everything and is so appreciative of all the love and support she has received."
We broke the story ... Anne was behind the wheel in a horrific car crash August 5 when she drove into a home, igniting a blaze. Anne was very badly burned in the accident and lost consciousness shortly after, never came out. She was declared brain dead Friday and taken off life support Sunday evening.
Lynne says she's devastated by Anne's death and her heart goes out to the actress' family, summing up the entire situation as tragic.