Former Miss Alabama Zoe Sozo Bethel has died at the age of 27 and her death has been reportedly revealed to be accidental.
A spokesperson for the Miami Police Department said the winner of the 2021 contest died from blunt force trauma and her death was ruled accidental, E! News reported in a piece published Tuesday. (RELATED: ‘The Office’ Star Mark York Dead At 55)
The family previously shared Bethel had “sustained severe damage to her brain/brainstem,” the outlet noted. The pageant winner was in a coma following what the family called an “accident.”
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Family members of the former model and brand ambassador for Turning Point USA posted a message on her Instagram account announcing she had passed away. (RELATED: ‘Wicked Tuna’ Star Dead At 36. Here’s What We Know)
“On Friday, February 18, 2022, at approximately 5:30AM Eastern time in Miami, Florida, our beloved Zoe Sozo Bethel passed from this life into the next as a result of succumbing to her injuries,” a message on the model’s Instagram account read.
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“Zoe touched the hearts of many people and was actively affiliated with several organizations and groups namely, she was the current Miss Alabama (for America Strong), a political commentator for RSBN, a Brand Ambassador for Turning Point USA, and Liberty University’s Falkirk Center,” the message added. “She was also a spokeswoman for Students for Life and affiliated with Project Veritas.”
News of the beauty queen’s death comes a week after police responded to a call for a “possible suicide attempt” in Miami on Feb. 11, the outlet noted. An investigation at the time stated Bethel had fallen out of a window on the third-floor of a building. She was taken to the hospital where she was in critical condition. She died of her injuries one week later.