Ex-Neighbours child star’s heart ‘may have failed in sleep’, family say

FORMER Neighbours star Miranda Fryer's devastated family say her heart may have failed in her sleep.

The actress - who played Sky Mangel in the show as a child - died at the age of 34 at her home in Melbourne on January 6.

Miranda had wed her long-term partner Arthur Pothitis in November 2020.

Her cause of death has not yet been given, but her family revealed she had health issues with her heart before passing away in her sleep.

Writing on Facebook, Miranda's brother Jeremy said she went "peacefully".

"I am writing with the saddest of news. Last Thursday, around midday, MJ passed away," he wrote.

"It was completely unexpected, we are yet to know for sure what the cause was, but with our family history, it looks like her heart failed during her sleep. She went peacefully.

"MJ was a huge personality, it's going to be a different world without her."

Miranda's mum Traci Hunter hailed her "the most wonderful daughter" in a heartbreaking tribute, describing her death as a "terrible shock".

"She just went to sleep and did not wake up. It is a terrible shock to us all," she told the Herald Sun.

"She was a truly kind loving person, almost too good to be true – obviously she was too good to be true as she has been taken from us so early.”

And in a statement posted online, Miranda's grief-stricken loved ones described her as "beautiful inside and out".

“True soulmates, Miranda and Arthur were making plans to start their family, when one day last week she went to sleep and never woke up. We do not know why,” her family said.

“She had had some health issues with her heart, maybe her beautiful persona was just too good for this world of ours.

"We, who all loved her so much, shall treasure the memories she has left us with and mourn our loss forever.

“A beautiful child, stunning teenager, beautiful inside, and out … a woman, with so much love and happiness given and received. So many friends, so much still to offer this world, gone.”

Miranda's family confirmed to TV Tonight that the ex-Neighbours star died on January 6.

She began the role of Sky - on-screen daughter of Joe Mangel, played by Mark Little, and Kerry Bishop, portrayed by Linda Hartley-Clark - at just 18 months old in 1989 for a three-year stint.

The character was later reintroduced in 2003 as a teenager, played by Stephanie McIntosh.

Miranda had studied to be a nurse and was due to start a postgraduate position at Monash Hospital in the neuroscience department in February after recently finishing her degree.