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Autumn Crittendon, who appeared on the fifth season of MTV reality show 16 and Pregnant, died on Saturday at the age of 27.
The Henrico County Police Department said police and paramedics were called to a residence in Sandston, Virginia around 3.15pm on Saturday (20 July). Crittendon, also known as Autumn Oxley, was found at the scene, unresponsive, and all attempts to revive her proved futile. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Members from Henrico Fire attempted life-saving measures however they were not effective,” read a statement from the Henrico County Police Department to People.
“The adult female, Autumn Oxley, 27, of Henrico, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Henrico Police are currently classifying this incident as a death investigation.
“Detectives are working with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on this case to determine the exact cause and manner of death,” the statement said.
Crittendon’s mother and stepfather found her unresponsive after a friend informed them something was wrong, reported TMZ.
The cause of death is unclear, but the outlet reported that sources who spoke to them said Crittendon had been sick, complaining of heartburn recently. She was diabetic, and had been facing issues with her kidney and blood pressure.
16 and Pregnant followed Crittendon’s life while she was pregnant with her oldest son Drake. She went on to have two more children.
The news of Crittendon’s death was announced by her sister Misty on 21 July, who made a post on Facebook, which she has now deleted.
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“You were robbed of your life at such a tender age. You left before anyone could tell you goodbye,” she wrote.
“How much we love you. How amazing you are and how proud we are of you for staying sober through some of the toughest parts of your life, how far you’ve came from where you were, how thankful we are to have had all these years with you, how proud of you we are as a mother, how grateful we are for the 3 tiny parts of your heart that are still walking this earth.
“I promise you I will love life in your honour. These babies will always know how much you love them, how amazing you are, how special you are, how much you sacrificed and overcame for them, everything and nothing short of it.”
This comes a few months after the death of another 16 and Pregnant alum, Sean Grainger, the father of Selena Gutierrez’s baby from season six. He died in March in an ATV accident at age 20.