"Young and Restless" Star, Kristoff St. John, Found Dead at 52

Tragedy struck the television industry yesterday (Feb 3), when it was revealed that Kristoff St. John was found dead in his home at the age of 52. TMZ reports that the actor was found by a friend who went to check on him at his San Fernando Valley residence, who then called the paramedics who pronounced him dead at the scene.  Although there weren't any signs of foul play, one source apparently suggested that alcohol could have played a role.

St. John had played the character of Neil Winters on the "Young and the Restless" since 1991, a role that earned him 9 Emmy Award nominations in addition to 10 NAACP Image Awards. St. John had also acted in "Wonder Woman", "Roots: The Next Generations", "The Bad News Bears", "The Cosby Show", "A Different World", "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper", "Martin", "The Jamie Foxx Show", "Family Matters", and many other television programs throughout his career that spanned four decades.

It's been reported that he had a troubled history with suicide within his family, as St. John and his ex-wife, boxer Mia St. John, lost their son, Julian, when he took his own life in 2014. He was reportedly getting treatment at a mental health facility at the time of his death, leading his parents to sue the facility for negligence. Then in 2017, around the anniversary of Julian's death, St. John threatened to kill himself with a gun. He was then placed on a 72-hour hold for psychiatric evaluation.

Upon hearing the news, his ex-wife wrote in a since-deleted message on social media: "THAT HOSPITAL KILLED OUR SON @TheArtofJulian THEN MY HUSBAND @kristoffstjohn1. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! THEY KILLED MY FAMILY."

It should be noted that after their son's death, they founded the El Saber es Poder (Knowledge is Power) Foundation to battle mental illness.

Source: TMZ