Blake Garrett, Child Star From How to Eat Fried Worms, Dies at 33

Blake Garrett, who found early fame in the 2006 family film How to Eat Fried Worms, has died at 33, his mother confirms to TMZ. Carol Garrett said her son died Sunday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. An official cause of death has not yet been determined; the family is waiting for autopsy results from the medical examiner. She said Garrett last week went to an emergency room with severe pain and was diagnosed with shingles. She believes he may have self-medicated in an attempt to manage the pain on his own and suggested his death may have been accidental.

According to his mother, Garrett had gotten sober and things had been going well in his life over the past three years in Tulsa, where she said he had made significant changes and turned his life around. Born in Austin, Texas, Garrett began performing as a child, taking on lead roles in many local productions, Deadline reports. At 10, he joined the arena production Barney's Colorful World International Tour after making his on-screen debut in the television special that inspired the stage show in 2004, E! News reports. His best-known role came as Plug in How to Eat Fried Worms, based on the book of the same name, which earned him a Young Artist Award as part of the film's ensemble cast.