Former Australian child star Rory Callum Sykes died in the Los Angeles wildfires that destroyed his family's Malibu estate this week, his mother confirmed.
Sykes, best known for his appearance in the 1998 British series "Kiddy Kapers," was killed when the fire destroyed his family's 17-acre Mount Malibu home, where he had his own cottage, on Wednesday, Shelley Sykes said on X.
"I'm totally heartbroken," she wrote, adding that Rory, 32, was "a wonderful son."
In an interview with Australia's 10 News First, she recalled trying to use a hose to extinguish burning cinders on the roof, but a lack of water pressure made it impossible.
"He said, 'Mom leave me,' and no mom can leave their kid," she said. "And I've got a broken arm, I couldn't lift him, I couldn't move him."
Shelley said she drove to the local fire department to alert it but was told it didn't have any water. When she was brought back to the property, "Rory's cottage was burnt to the ground."
A spokesperson for Las Virgenes Municipal Water denied her claims, telling NBC News that the "water service did remain available and uninterrupted to her property and the entire surrounding community."
"Our water system remained operational, and we did provide water to the firefighters throughout the emergency and without interruption," the spokesperson said.
According to 10 News First, firefighters told Shelley her son died of carbon monoxide poisoning during the wildfire. However, the station noted that his death has yet to be officially added to the wildfires' death toll.
A spokesperson for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told CNN that it's aware of the death of an Australian citizen and is "engaging closely with local authorities" to assist his family.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to his family. Our thoughts are with them," the spokesperson said.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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