British-born disabled former child star ‘died needlessly’ in LA wildfires, mother says

12 January 2025, 23:28

A British-born former child star who was blind and had cerebral palsy "died needlessly" in the Los Angeles wildfires, his mother has claimed.

Rory Callium Sykes, 32, said ‘leave me’ before he died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the LA wildfires.

Shelley Sykes, his mum, said he lost his life when the cottage he lived in on his mum’s estate in Malibu burned down on Thursday.

Ms Sykes travelled to her local fire department after struggling to get through to the emergency services to move her son from his self-contained cottage next to her property, while flames surrounded the area.

She was struggling with a broken arm when the fire reached her house, which prevented her from evacuating her son by herself.

"He was my baby, and he died needlessly," she told Australian TV channel Network 10.

"Guess what didn't work? 911. All the phone lines were down," she said.

"He said, 'Mum, leave me', and no mum can leave their kid, and I've got a broken arm. I couldn't lift him. I couldn't move him.”

She reportedly drove 400 meters to the local fire station, who told her they couldn’t help as they had ‘no water’, the news programme said.

"When the fire department brought me back, his cottage was burned to the ground," she said.

Ms Sykes said her son, who appeared on TV show Kiddy Kapers, died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Las Virgenes Municipal Water denied her claims, according to US reports, saying the "water service did remain available and uninterrupted to her property and the entire surrounding community".

Read more: Meghan delays release of her Netflix show set in Southern California due to LA wildfires

Read more: LA wildfires are 'worst natural disaster in US history', says California governor as he warns of 'flare-ups' due to wind

Ms Sykes announced the death of her son in a heartbreaking social media post. She said: “It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son Rory Sykes to the Malibu fires yesterday.

“I’m totally heart broken. British born Australian living in America, a wonderful son, a gift born on mine & his grandma's birthday 29 July 92, Rory Callum Sykes.”

She shared how Rory enjoyed traveling, and had co-founded a charity with his mum, calling him ‘a true humanitarian’.She said he was a big fan of Apple products, and the video game Runescape.

She added: “Rory was born blind with cerebral palsy & had difficulty walking. He overcame so much with surgeries & therapies to regain his sight & to be able to learn to walk.

“Despite the pain, he still enthused about traveling the world with me from Africa to Antarctica.”

Ms Sykes described how her son’s cottage on her 17 acre estate burned down and that she “couldn’t put out the cinders on his roof with a hose because the water was switched off by Las Virgenes Municipal Water.

“Even the 50 brave fire fighters had no water all day!

“He will be incredibly missed by Shelley Sykes, mama his pet peacocks Edgee & Mickie & all his online fans around the world!”

Read more: Harry and Meghan make surprise appearance in LA as they comfort wildfire victims and first responders

The death toll from the wildfires rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames towards some of the city's most famous landmarks.

Jason Oppenheim, star of US reality programme Selling Sunset, said landlords are taking advantage of people being displaced by the fires which began on Tuesday, just north of central LA, and have burned more than 12,000 structures.

Since offering to represent those who have lost their homes for free, the reality star said Oppenheim Group agents have "received dozens and dozens of calls from people who have lost their homes in the fires".

"It's all hands on deck right now, but it's really difficult because there are thousands of people who are displaced without places to stay," he told BBC One programme Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.

"The hotels are overwhelmed all the way down to Newport Beach and even into San Diego you can't get a hotel room right now.

"And even, unfortunately - and this is something that I want to discuss, because I think it should be exposed - but we're having landlords taking advantage of the situation.

"I had a client, we sent him to a house that was asking 13,000 dollars (£10,600) a month.

"He offered 20,000 dollars (£16,400) a month, and he offered to pay six months up front. And the landlord said, "No, I want 23,000 dollars (18,800) a month'.

"You know, there are price-gouging laws in California that are just being ignored right now.

"And this isn't the time to be taking advantage of situations, and it's also illegal to take advantage of a natural disaster."

EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer and Star Wars actor Mark Hamill were among the celebrities who described how their homes had survived the wind-driven fires.

US reality star Paris Hilton launched an emergency fund to support families who have been displaced, starting it with a personal donation of 100,000 dollars (£82,000) after she watched her Malibu home "burn to the ground on live TV".

Actors Mel Gibson, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, Billy Crystal, Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg are among the other stars who have lost their homes.

The Hills stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, talk show host Ricki Lake, and songwriter Diane Warren have also lost properties, with reports that Sir Anthony Hopkins' home burned to the ground in the Pacific Palisades fire.

Grammy-nominated musician Halsey said she was evacuated from a home she had recently moved into and added: "Can't even wrap my head around this."

US actress Jennifer Garner was among the stars volunteering, providing food relief for evacuees and the emergency services, working alongside World Central Kitchen founder chef Jose Andres at one of the charity's pop-up locations around California.

Standing amid the rubble of her home town of 25 years, an emotional Garner told US outlet MSNBC: "I did lose a friend, and for our church it's really tender, so I don't feel like I should talk about her yet.

"I did lose a friend who did not get out in time."

Other stars including X Factor judge Simon Cowell used their platforms to share links to evacuation resources and donation pages.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited a meal distribution site, hugging people and speaking to emergency crews on Friday.

Oscar-nominated actress Sharon Stone encouraged stars to make donations to a distribution centre, which prompted Academy Award winner Halle Berry to pack up "my entire closet" to "help all of the displaced families that are in need of the basics".

After members of the Kardashian family were reportedly evacuated from their homes, matriarch Kris Jenner said her family approached their favourite Armenian restaurant to "feed a few fire houses".

Kim Kardashian said she had "spoken to many firefighters who are up all night long using every ounce of their strength to save our community".

Entertainment company LiveNation said a charity concert, FireAid, will take place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, "dedicated to rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters throughout southern California".

The event is billed as an "evening of music and solidarity" and will take place on January 30, with performers yet to be announced.

TV host Melissa Rivers told CNN she managed to save the Emmy awarded to her late mother, comedian and actress Joan Rivers, while fleeing her home.

The fires have thrown Hollywood's awards season into disarray, with the Critics Choice Awards and Producers Guild Awards nominations among the events postponed.