Two deputies in a central Florida county have been disciplined for leaking the news of Bob Saget’s death before the actor’s family was notified.
An internal investigation report from the Orange County Sheriff’s office obtained by NBC affiliate WESH-TV details how news of Saget’s death spread from employees to social media before an official release was provided by the department’s public information officer.
Emiliano Silva and Steven Reed were disciplined for their roles in the incident on Jan. 9, when authorities responding to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Orlando found Saget dead in his room, WESH reports.
The report did not specify what disciplinary actions would be taken.
Silva’s brother tweeted “RIP Bob Saget” 30 minutes after deputies arrived at the scene, well before the family had been notified. When a Twitter user asked him for his source, Silver’s brother responded, “My brother is one of the deputies on scene right now.” The brother then deleted the tweet.
Reed confirmed the death to a friend who texted him inquiring about the news. Reed was off duty at the time of the incident.
The report did not specify what disciplinary actions would be taken.
The “Full House” star was on a comedy tour when he was found dead on the hotel bed. Authorities concluded the 65-year-old actor passed away from head trauma after “he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep,” according to a statement from his family.
They added that “no drugs or alcohol were involved.”
The family of comedian Bob Saget says the “Full House” star died of head trauma.
A day after the family statement, the medical examiner’s office in Orange County, Florida, said Saget died of head trauma, likely from a backwards fall.
An autopsy report released later Thursday showed that Saget had an abrasion on his scalp, a fracture at the base of his skull, fractures around his eye sockets, bleeding between the brain and tissue covering the brain as well as bruises to the brain. Saget was positive for COVID-19 but had no inflammation in his respiratory system, according to the report.
“His injuries were most likely incurred from an unwitnessed fall,” the statement said. “The manner of death is accident.”
