Ghostbusters II's child actor who played baby Oscar dies at 29

The child actor who played the baby Oscar at the centre of ‘Ghostbusters II’ has died at the age of 29.

According to a San Diego coroner’s report, Henry ‘Hank’ Deutschendorf, who was also the nephew of singer John Denver, took his own life by hanging.

The report went on to say that he was found at his apartment in Escondido by his twin brother, and had a history of depression.

In a lengthy and heart-felt blogpost, William, his brother, with whom Hank ran a martial arts school, wrote: “It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my twin brother, Hank. On Wednesday, June 14th, 2017, Henry John Deutschendorf II lost his battle with schizoaffective disorder.

“Many people do not know much about Hank. Some knew him as Baby Oscar in Ghostbusters II or John Denver’s nephew. Others knew him as a brother, son, martial artist, teacher, uncle, or friend.

“What people do not know about Hank was that he suffered from schizoaffective disorder. It is a chronic mental health condition which is a combination of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. He experienced hallucinations, delusions, depression, and mania.

“If you knew Hank before his diagnosis, you knew a young man who was upbeat, healthy, witty, kind, outgoing, and was always ready to stand up for people.

“Our parents will always remember him as a loving son. His family will remember him as someone who was always there when they needed him. His nieces and nephews will remember him as the funnest uncle who was always ready to play.

“His close friends will remember how he always helped them look for the silver lining. His students will remember him as a mentor, in martial arts and in life. His girlfriend will remember him as someone who made her feel like the most important person in the world. I will remember him as my best friend, my partner, my brother, and the bravest man I have ever known.”

Hank’s role in ‘Ghostbusters II’, playing the baby son of Sigourney Weaver’s Dana Barrett, was his only film credit, other than an appearance in the documentary ‘Cleanin’ Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters’ earlier this year.

“It is also very important to me to immediately spread awareness about schizophrenia, bipolar, and suicide prevention,” Hank added in the post, asking for any donations to be made to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.

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