Coleman was just 10 when he played the adorable Arnold in sitcom Diff’rent Strokes. Famous for his diminutive stature, people assumed the young actor was just a late bloomer, but Coleman suffered from a congenital kidney disorder.

The side effect of which was his 4’8″ stature and childlike features into adulthood.

Like his Diff’rent Strokes co-stars, Coleman struggled fame, and his career faltered soon after the show ended.

He tried to keep his health issues private, but he struggled with ill health all his life before his passing at just 42. Coleman died on the 28th of May 2010, after a series of seizures.

Haim was born on 23rd December 1971, and was one of the most popular actors in the late 1980s. He co-starred in a series of films with Corey Feldman (including The Lost Boys), so the two became good friends and even a popular double act.

Unfortunately, they also shared a variety of childhood traumas, and both fell into drug addiction.

Feldman was able to fight his demons in adulthood, but this proved difficult for Haim. He developed a dependency on prescription medication, many of which was in his system when he died in March 2010.

Haim was initially reported to have passed from an accidental overdose, but the cause of death was soon ruled as pneumonia. He was just 38.

Judith Barsi was a prolific child actor of the 80s, and her death is one of the most awful cases here.

Born in June 1978, Barsi began with small film and TV roles when she was six. She began earning an estimated $100,000 a year, money which her parents soon depended on.

József Barsi, her father, was an abusive alcoholic. He grew more unhinged as his daughter became more successful.

After several repeated threats, Barsi’s father killed Judith and her mother before he took his own life in July 1988, just after Judith turned 10.

Judith’s most-remembered films are her voice acting roles in The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven, both released posthumously.

Born on September 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas began acting in her early teens, starting with a 1983 TV commercial before working her way up to take supporting roles in two of the biggest sitcoms of the era: The Cosby Show and Family Matters.

By the late 90s, she was a regular guest host on TV music show Soul Train, even appearing in music videos for Boys II Men and Dru Hill.

She was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer in 1997, going through all treatments available, but ultimately succumbing to the disease.

Thomas passed away at the age of 30 in December 1998, surrounded by family and friends.

Matthew Garber played Michael Banks in the beloved family classic Mary Poppins. Born in Stepney, London in 1956, he was just 8 when he appeared alongside Julie Andrews in the Disney production.

It was just his second film role after 1963’s The Three Lives of Thomasina, and Garber would take only one more credit, in 1967’s The Gnome-Mobile.

Garber stepped away from acting, and was in India in 1977 when he contracted hepatitis. The disease ravaged his body, causing severe issues with his pancreas.

Garber made it back home to London, but he died in the hospital from Haemorrhagic Necrotising Pancreatitis at the age of 21.

Sweeten was born on 12th May 1995, with his twin brother Sullivan, in Brownwood, Texas. The twins were just 6 months old, when the family moved to LA.

The brothers soon went out for child acting work and got their first roles as the twin sons of Ray Romano’s title character in sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, premiering in 1996.

Sawyer and Sullivan played Geoffrey and Michael Barone for nine seasons.

Sawyer had emotional struggles he kept to himself. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound just weeks before turning 20 in 2015.

The surviving members of the Everybody Loves Raymond cast paid tribute to him, while Sweeten’s sister Madylin urged readers to “reach out to the ones you love.”

Dana Plato played Gary Coleman’s adoptive sister Kimberly Drummond. She was just 13 and had only been acting for a few years when she was cast in Diff’rent Strokes.

Even in the early days of the show, Plato struggled with substances. She suffered her first overdose at 14,and like her co-stars, also struggled to find work after Diff’rent Strokes ended.

Personal and professional woes took their toll and she died in 1999 aged 34 from an overdose of prescription medication. It was ultimately ruled a suicide.

Young was born in Columbia, South Carolina in February 1984. He began acting at the age of 10 and got his big break in 1998, being cast in the title role of Disney Channel series The Famous Jett Jackson.

He played Jett Jackson in three seasons and a TV movie. Young then appeared in another Disney Channel movie, Johnny Tsunami.

Young went on to appear in Friday Night Lights and The Hills Have Eyes 2, plus such TV shows as Smallville, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Scrubs.

Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, struggling with depression before taking his own life in 2013, at 29.

The Lee Thompson Young Foundation was founded by his family later on, which is dedicated to promoting awareness of mental health issues.

Knox was born in Kent in 1989. He made a few brief film and TV appearances before landing the role of Hogwarts student Marcus Belby in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The character of Marcus was not in the final book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but Knox had agreed to reprise the role in the final two-volume Harry Potter film.

Knox was killed in May 2008, after being stabbed outside a bar. He was defending his brother from the assailant, who was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released after his passing. Warner Bros and the actor’s co-stars issued statements expressing their shock and sympathy at his passing.

Murphy was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1977. She relocated to Los Angeles in her teens to pursue acting where she enjoyed small screen success, with appearances on Blossom, Frasier, Party of Five and Boy Meets World.

Murphy’s second film role in the 1995 classic teen comedy Clueless was what really catapulted her to fame.

She seemed to have successfully negotiated the move from teen TV actress to grown-up film star, landing roles in major films like Don’t Say A Word, 8 Mile, Sin City and Just Married.

But reports of Murphy being dismissed from major projects over personal issues and rumours of abusing drugs son surfaced. She was just 32 when she passed away from pneumonia in December 2009.

Multiple drug intoxication and anaemia were factors in her death.

Skye McCole Bartusiak was born in September 1992. She got into acting at just 6.

Her first appearance was in the TV mini-series Storm of the Century, and that led to movie roles. She played Mel Gibson’s daughter in The Patriot, plus Michael Douglas’ daughter in Don’t Say a Word.

Bartusiak’s career continued into her teenage years, with roles in Boogeyman and Kill Your Darlings, with more appearances on TV’s House, Lost and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

She was at home with her parents when she died in July 2014 at the age of 21. The cause was an accidental overdose of painkillers and muscle relaxers.

Her parents insisted that their daughter did not drink or use drugs, but was suffering from epileptic seizures just before her passing.

Switzer was a child star in the early days when films with sound were still new. Born in August 1927, he rose to fame as Alfalfa in the shorts series Our Gang.

He appeared in over 20 Our Gang shorts before retiring from the series in 1940, at the age of 12.

But like many child actors after him, Switzer struggled to find roles as he matured.

After many cameos in B-movies, Switzer moved to working as a dog breeder and a hunting guide. He was killed in 1959 when he was shot by an acquaintance over an argument about the money he was owed.

Pettiet was born in 1976 and began acting in his early teens. He was the Best Young Actor in a Guest Starring Role at the 1991 Young Artist Awards, thanks to his 1991 appearance on Doogie Howser, M.D.

He made an appearance in Point Break, then took one of the lead roles in Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.

Pettiet then played a young Jesse James in the TV series The Young Riders, plus other minor roles in TV and film.

He was also in several episodes of MTV series Undressed. His last role was on an episode of Judging Amy. Pettiet died at the age of 24 in April 2000, after an overdose.

The autopsy also stated that ‘probable cardiomyopathy’ was a factor.

Wright was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1984, and started out as a child model before getting into acting. She appeared in the sitcom Grace Under Fire at the age of 9, before roles in The Nanny, Earth 2 and E.R.

In 1996, Wright co-starred with her little sister Tori in the film Shiloh.

Unfortunately, Wright was forced to retire early due to her health. She underwent a heart transplant in 2000 to combat restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Her health continued to deteriorate and the young actress died from a heart attack in 2006 at the age of 21, having been married just two weeks earlier.

Renfro was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1982. He was once considered one of the most promising actors of his generation.

His breakthrough was a role in courtroom drama The Client at the age of 11, without acting experience beforehand.

His performance impressed critics and audiences, and that landed him roles in more films. He was in Tom and Huck, Sleepers, Apt Pupil, Ghost World and Bully.

Unfortunately, Renfro developed a drug and alcohol habit. Multiple arrests began costing him roles, and in January 2008, Renfro died from acute narcotic intoxication at just 25.

Bridgette Anderson was born in 1975 and was pretty intelligent, showing signs of it at an early age. She started out as a child model and actress in TV commercials, before her big break in 1982.

She was cast in the title role of the film Savannah Smiles, and soon found more success.

Anderson landed roles in TV shows like Remington Steele and The Golden Girls, but soon struggled to find roles as she got older.

She ended up developing a drug habit, leading to her passing in 1997 from an opioid overdose at the age of 21.

Moore got her first break at 10, appearing in children’s TV series The Odyssey. She took on more roles in other TV movies and dramas, before her big break in 1995’s Now and Then.

Moore, who was born Ashley Rogers, co-starred with Christina Ricci, Gabby Hoffman and Thora Birch in the coming-of-age drama.

She played the 1970 counterparts of the adult characters portrayed by Demi Moore, Rosie O’Donnell, Melanie Griffith and – as Moore’s character – Rita Wilson.

Her co-stars went on to have successful careers, but Moore only had five more roles before her career ended. She passed away in December 2007 from an accidental drug overdose.

Anissa Jones charmed many audiences with her role as Buffy on Family Affair from 1966 to 1971. She was also popular for her role in To Rome with Love, The Trouble with Girls.

On August 28, 1976, she attended a party in Oceanside, California with her boyfriend, Allan Kovan. She never returned home.

She had overdosed on a mixture of cocaine, angel dust, Seconal and Quaaludes. Don Carlos Moshos, her doctor, was charged with 11 felony counts of illegally prescribing strong drugs. Jones was 18.

Pierce was a skateboarding misfit in New York who was cast in Larry Clark’s controversial 1995 film Kids. He played Caspar, the brash, drug-addicted slacker friend of another equally amoral character, Telly.

Following the success of Kids, Pierce moved to Hollywood, starring in the likes of Next Friday and Malcolm in the Middle.

He then moved into the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas after marrying stylist Gina Rizzo. On July 10, 2000, he was found hanging in his room by hotel security.

Two notes were discovered but they were never released to the public.

Tara Correa-McMullen had no acting experience before taking a role on the 2005 sports comedy Rebound. She got a recurring part on CBS’ Judging Amy as a young gang member. She even enjoyed a brief stint on Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101.

She was shot on October 21, 2005 by LA gang member Damien Watts.

She had been dating a gang member ten years her senior, and was outside her apartment complex during the shooting. She even tried to run inside for safety.

Correa-McMullen was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Scotty Beckett was just 3 when he caught the attention of a casting agent. He made his film debut in Gallant Lady (1933), where he played the younger version of a character played by Dickie Moore.

He worked with Moore once more in 1947 on The Dangerous Years, which was famous for being Marilyn Monroe’s first ever film.

Beckett’s life took a dark turn over the 1950s and 60s. He went through divorce, violent tempers, drugs and arrests.

On May 8, 1968, he checked into a nursing home after a brutal beating. He passed away two days later at the age of 38.

Pills and a note were found at the scene, but his exact cause of death was never determined.

Lucille Rickson was born Ingeborg Myrtle Elizabeth Erickson. She made her debut in The Millionaire Baby at the young age of 5.

After her parents divorced in 1917, her mother took her to Hollywood. She starred in the film series The Adventures and Emotions of Edgar Pomeroy.

In the summer of 1924, Rickson was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Her mother did her best to care for her bedridden daughter but all the grief and stress caused Lucille’s mom to suffer a fatal heart attack in February 1925.

Lucille passed away the following month at the age of 14.

Evans was known for his role as Timmy Lenox on NBC’s Passions. He was born with a congenital heart ailment and achondroplasia, a rare growth disorder, so his height peaked at just 3 feet 2 inches.

After appearing in a commercial, he played many roles including Oren Koolie in Ally McBeal, General Tom Thumb in P.T. Barnum and Young Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

He passed away on August 5, 2002 during a medical procedure relating to his congenital heart condition.

Laughlin is famous for playing Froggy in the Our Gang series of films from 1940 to 1944. His odd, guttural and suitably “croaky voice” was well loved by audiences.

At the age of 8, he was in the first Our Gang film The New Pupil.

He soon ditched Hollywood for a normal adolescence. However, he died on August 31, 1948 at the age of 16 after being hit by a truck as he was doing a paper round on his scooter.

Cuccione became famous as part of the spoof boy band 2ge+her, where he played Jason ‘QT’ McKnight in a series.

2ge+her became so popular that they toured and opened for Britney Spears, while the soundtrack for the 2ge+her movie made the Billboard Top 100.

Cuccione had been fighting Hodgkin’s lymphoma since the age of 9. In December 2000, he began struggling to breath and immediately entered a hospital with pneumonia.

He passed away on January 13, 2001, just after his 16th birthday.

Chaney was part of the Our Gang films between 1929 and 1931. He was 3 foot 11 and weighed 113 pounds, which earned him the nickname ‘Chubby’.

It was a persona he thrived on until 1931, until he wasn’t offered a contract after becoming taller and heavier.

Over the years, he quit acting and excelled in school, while his weight fluctuated.

On May 29, 1936, he passed away from myocarditis at the age of 21. Chaney’s grave was left unmarked for 76 years since his mother couldn’t afford a marking.

Detroit musician MIKAL raised $4,500 in 2012 for the headstones of both Chaney and his mother.

Sammi Kane Kraft was discovered on a baseball diamond in Los Angeles. She was 13 when subsequently cast in her only film, the 2005 remake of The Bad News Bears.

She played the role of Amanda Whurlitzer, a role once played by Tatum O’Neal in the 1976 original.

On October 9, 2012, Kraft was in a car when it was struck by another vehicle. She was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center and was later pronounced dead at the age of 20.

Brandis was born on April 1976 in Connecticut, and got his break with a role in soap opera One Life to Live. He continued with a number of TV guest roles before his big break in 1990.

The 14-year-old actor appeared in the lead role of The Never-Ending Story II, and then as young Bill Denborough in the TV miniseries It.

He then co-starred with Chuck Norris in the movie Sidekicks, before his recurring role on TV’s SeaQuest DSV.

Sadly, he found difficulty in transitioning to adult roles like other child actors. He had a part in 2002 drama Hart’s War, but most of his scenes were cut from the final film.

Depression and alcohol dependency led him to take his own life in November 2003 at the age of 27.

Born in Russia in 1989, Anton Yelchin was brought to the USA by his parents when he was six months old.

He got his first acting job at 11, and soon became one of the most sought-after child actors. He was one of the few child actors to enjoy success as he entered adulthood.

Yelchin appeared in 2009’s Star Trek and its two sequels. He also had roles in Terminator: Salvation and the 2011 remake of Fright Night.

His life was cut short in 2016, when he was crushed by his own Jeep due to a handbrake failure. Yelchin was 27.

The family took legal action against the car manufacturer, with the matter ultimately settled out of court.