Everybody Loves Raymond star Sawyer Sweeten commits suicide aged 19
His older sister Madilyn confirms the news
Sawyer Sweeten, one of the child stars of American hit TV show Everybody Loves Raymond, has committed suicide aged just 19.
The actor starred alongside his twin brother Sullivan and older sister Madylin in the show playing Geoffrey Baron – one of the twin sons of lead characters Raymond and Debra Barone.
"This morning a terrible family tragedy has occurred," Madylin Sweeten said in a statement passed on by her manager Dino May.
"We are devastated to report that our beloved brother, son, and friend, Sawyer Sweeten, took his own life. He was weeks away from his 20th birthday. At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love."
Hollywood Reporter reports that Sawyer shot himself in the porch of the family home in Texas.
Family based comedy Everybody Loves Raymond ran from 1996, when Sullivan and Sweeten were just 18 months old, until 2005.
Much of the material in the show was based on the real-life experiences of Romano and creator/producer Phil Rosenthal.