'The Patriot' actress Skye McCole Bartusiak dead at 21

© Skyemccolebartusiak.com / Skye McCole Bartusiak

'The Patriot' actress Skye McCole Bartusiak dead at 21

Skye McCole Bartusiak, who played Mel Gibson's daughter in the 2000 war epic "The Patriot," died in her sleep Saturday at her Texas home.
Born in Houston in 1992, Bartusiak made her acting debut in the television miniseries "Storm of the Century" in 1999.

That same year she appeared in the TV series "JAG," as well as the Oscar-winning film "The Cider House Rules," according to her IMDB page.
Bartusiak also had roles on the TV shows "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "24," and "Lost."
Fellow child star Abigail Breslin, who was very close to Bartusiak, tweeted her condolences: "One of my very good friends and someone who was like a sister to me, Skye McCole Bartusiak passed away today. So devastated."
Roland Emmerich, who directed and produced "The Patriot," also paid tribute to Bartusiak on Twitter writing, "This is not the kind of news you want to begin your day with. RIP sweet Skye McCole Bartusiak."
The actress' cause of death was not immediately known. She was 21.