ZOMBIES Co-Stars Mourn Carla Jeffery, Dead at 33, in Instagram Tributes

Q: Could the beloved Disney star's previously disclosed battle with epilepsy hold the key to the mystery surrounding her tragic passing at just 33?

There is no confirmed evidence that Carla Jeffery’s epilepsy caused her death. What is publicly known is limited. Jeffery died on Sept. 1 at age 33, and her management announced the news the next day without giving a cause. Multiple reports say autopsy results are still pending, and there has been no public indication of foul play. Her family has also reportedly pushed back on rumors of drug use. Epilepsy is relevant only because Jeffery had spoken openly about living with the condition. In a 2022 interview with the Epilepsy Foundation, she said she began having seizures at 18 and once suffered a seizure on the set of “ZOMBIES,” waking up in an ambulance. She later became an advocate for disability awareness and representation. That history means epilepsy cannot be ruled out as a possible factor, but it also cannot responsibly be treated as the answer to the “mystery” at this stage. People with epilepsy can face serious risks, including seizure-related emergencies and, in rare cases, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, known as SUDEP. But determining whether any of that applied to Jeffery would require official medical findings. For now, the only accurate answer is that her cause of death remains unknown. Any claim that epilepsy was the key factor would be speculation until authorities or her family release confirmed information.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Sep 3

Meg Donnelly said she had been "in a state of denial" after Carla Jeffery's death, calling her ZOMBIES co-star "truly one of a kind" in a Thursday Instagram tribute.
Milo Manheim, Chandler Kinney, Kylee Russell and Trevor Tordjman also posted memories of Jeffery, repeatedly describing her as joyful, kind and a constant source of positivity on set.
Instagram comments on the death announcement drew tributes from Pearce Joza, Baby Ariel, Jadah Marie, Tony Nappo and others, extending the outpouring beyond the core ZOMBIES cast.
Alexanders Talent Management announced Wednesday that Jeffery died Tuesday at 33; she played Bree in the first three Disney Channel ZOMBIES films.