Charlbi Dean cause of death has been determined, by a New York City Medical Examiner.
At the time, the illness was not revealed.
A spokesperson for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to PEOPLE on Wednesday that she died of bacterial sepsis.
The sepsis was a complication from asplenia (the absence of a spleen) due to remote blunt trauma to her torso spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
Her bacterial sepsis was caused because she was infected with a bacteria known as Capnocytophaga. While the infection is rare, different species of Capnocytophaga develop in the mouths of humans and are also present in the mouths of dogs and cats, according to the CDC. People with autoimmune problems and without spleens are particularly susceptible.
It is not clear if a beast bite or lick was responsible for the model’s conditions as the medical examiner has not made her fully autopsy public.
After she died, Dean’s brother Alex Jacobs told Rolling Stone of sudden death in New York City on Monday, happened after she began experiencing minor signs and soon asked her fiancé, Luke Volker, to take her to an emergency room. She died just hours later.
This happened literally within a day: getting a headache, going to sleep, waking up her boyfriend, and saying to take me to the hospital, Jacobs told Rolling Stone.
Still aren’t quite sure [what happened], Jacobs added at the time. There’s an autopsy done which we know might take quite a while. But we have heard [that] there was a viral infection in her lungs.
Jacobs told Rolling Stone that Dean was interested in a very, very bad car accident around 2009, after which doctors removed her spleen. She also mourned broken ribs and a broken back in the accident, according to her brother.
[The spleen is] interested in battling off infections, and that could have had something to do with what happened, Jacobs said. Her spleen not being there just counted as the reason why she perhaps couldn’t resist it.
Dean recently landed her big role in Triangle of Sadness. It hasn’t hit theaters yet, but it did impress at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it took top honors with the Palme d’Or award. It’s almost a wrecked cruise ship and its passengers getting washed ashore, Charlbi is the lead, starring opposite Woody Harrelson, the cast made a big splash in France in May, showing up at events and hitting red carpets together.
Charlbi Dean gave away this week following an unexpected sudden illness. Her brother has since dismissed claims that her death was a result of the COVID-19 vaccine as has been rumored.
Jacobs told Rolling Stone that Dean fell ill and requested her fiancé, model Luke Volker, to take her to the emergency room. She died within a point of hours following her arrival at the hospital.
This happened literally within a day: Getting a headache, going to sleep, waking up her fiancé, and saying please take me to the hospital, said Jacobs.
We still aren’t quite sure [what happened]. There’s a postmortem that now might take quite a while. But what have heard is that there was a viral infection in her lungs.
In an Instagram post on 31 August, actress Kim Engelbrecht conveyed heartwarming words about Charlbi. Engelbrecht said the Triangle of Sadness star was fiercely hard-working, funny, and oh-so-cool.
You inspired us, Charlbi. Your most recent film achieved global acclaim and remained humble and unassuming about your successes, wrote Engelbrecht.
Our South African gem. You lit up the world. My views are with her friends and family and her beloved fiancé. Rest Easy, Princess.
In an Instagram headquarters on 31 August, actress Kim Engelbrecht conveyed heartwarming words about Charlbi. Engelbrecht said the Triangle of Sadness lead was fiercely hard-working, witty, and oh-so-cool.
You inspired us, Charlbi. Your most recent film achieved global acclaim and remained ever humble and honest about your successes, wrote Engelbrecht.
Our South African gem. You lit up the world. My views are with her friends and family and her beloved fiancé. Rest Easy, Princess.
