Dakota Culkin, Macaulay's Sister, Dies (PHOTOS)

UPDATED
TMZ broke news that Macaulay Culkin's sister Dakota Culkin died yesterday after being struck by a car.

Law enforcement sources tell us Dakota Culkin was walking on the west side of Los Angeles Tuesday when she stepped off a curb and was struck by a car. The 29-year-old Culkin was taken to the UCLA Medical Center where she died of her injuries yesterday afternoon.

More on Dakota Culkin from the AP:

.Police spokesman Richard French says Dakota Culkin was struck Tuesday night after she stepped into the street. She died a day later at a Los Angeles hospital after suffering massive head injuries.

French says there is no active criminal investigation.

Police say the driver stopped and tried to help the 29-year-old. Officers determined the motorist wasn't driving drunk and followed all laws.

An official statement from Macaulay's rep. "We can officially confirm that the victim is Dakota Culkin. This is a terrible tragic accident. We have no further comment at this time."


Dakota is the elder of two Culkin daughters:

Dakota Culkin, far right:

TMZ has photos of the Dakota Culkin accident scene

Comments

[Womanvoter4Obama]

My condolences to the Culkin family and all who knew and loved Dakota. I apologize for the dummies here who make light of people's pain.

[Clare53]

My deepest sympathy to this family. What a tragedy.

[Happylib]

Apologies to the friends of Dakota for some of the comments posted here. There are people who do not understand the incredible pain of grief. I hope all of you find comfort in the kind words contained in these pages and ignore the TROLLS comments. They are only here to hurt other people because they are pathetic and lack souls. My sympathies to everyone who has lost someone they love.

[geobushono]

........try to see the comments as cautionary, not hurtful.
...you step into traffic without looking, you might die........

[aloha43]

We are not trolls....we are just trying to explain the safety at crosswalks. No one is blaming Dakota, or trying to add any more grief to the family. We are all giving opinions here....if you don't like them, don't read them.

[Anthro]

There is no reason why people should not comment on pedestrian accidents. It does not mean they have no feelings. This column is not addressed to the family, per se, but is a public forum. Forty-eight people were blown up in a restaurant in Iraq yesterday--where is the grief for them?

[progressivelady]

So sad, I wish the family some Peace at this very difficult time

[wendy]

part 2: We all complain of little community in RL. The ones who have it are younger in general. It's being in school and growing up together. I don't care if the friend is homeless or mentally ill, if you are one of six closest friends yOU F"EN REACH OUT. I do not agree with two of those comments. This is a selfishness totally alien to me. We have to be there for those few we love and who love and count on us. Finals is NO EXCUSE and to be perfectly honest, people often do remember who comes forth with support or the promise of support. With texting or email, we are talking six minutes tops. I worry about this generation in their twenties you do not get it, you make the effort because... YOU CARE... duh?

[wendy]

Hi, the internet makes a lot of direct communication hard, as we all know. No, I wasn't about fame, specifically said my kid was best friends with the least famed among the Culkins. now let me try again: When I, who've lost many family and friends, have anyone who lost someone special, it touches me, hurts me and I reach out. If not by phone, by email or kids often text. now, if this boy is in great pain, how do you who diss me explain anyone who he loves not reaching out to him. I know when I lose someone dear, I need some love from those who I'm close with.

thanks to the third poster because I truly am thinking ETHICS. Last week an old friend lost his dad. He lives far away but I emailed him immediately and we've had about 12 emails since, going very deep into his pain. Of course kids in college maybe be by virtue of age, more narcissistic. But having lived many long lives, I do NOT understand hearing of a loss from someone who considers you/anyone a best friend and not make the MINOR effort to let said person know you care and are sad and are available to talk anytime.

[dac253]

Man, that's a tough break,... for the Culkin family and the driver of the car.

[YorkViLLeWorker]

Dakota was a good friend to me and my family. She was a beautiful woman and a magnanimous friend. I feel compelled to search for the story of her death bc I'm struggling to accept it. It genuinely hurts me, as a human being, to see such tasteless comments freely posted as if she were somebody you knew. Get over celebrity gossip and get on with the reality of your lives. You'll find beautiful people like my dear dear friend. With all my heart. -MM

[louisaviva]

Dakota was such a sweet heart She never got lost in the hubbub of Hollywood. She was a humble soul now closer than all of us to Christ in Heaven. Forever I will remember our friendship in grammer school when no one else wanted to talk to me she did. This past year, this little angel befriended my mom on the bus . My goodness it has been years and she still remembered my mom. Wow what a doll she was. Oh My dear sweet Cody, you will be missed. May God constantly be a comfort to your family and I wait for the day in Heaven when I can say thank you for being so good to me. Luv always Louise L.

[jtmoney]

Sorry for your loss. God bless her.

[shadow322]

My prayers go out to the family.

[marred]

wtf is the problem with the pics everyone is so upset about? I don't get it.

[firelord5000]

Extremely distasteful pics, why are you guys going down the gutter?

[NEANDERTHALL]

Tasteless main picture!

Tasteless graphic to show which one she is on the group picture.

What’s going on HuffPo? Disappointing to say the least.

[happycat]

I think that the entertainment section of HuffPost is being run by TMZ or Perez Hilton.

[grailknight]

The picture with the article is inappropriate for the gravity of the topic. Huffpo's editorial judgement is suspect.

[Bazzarr]

many agree, the picture used for Macaulay was totally inappropriate for a story about his sister's death. Very insensitive and despicable not to have common decency.

What else would you expect from this rag, certainly not integrity, respect or decency. Shame on the editors you have no class.

My sympathy to the family.

[wendy]

Hi everyone. My daughter is close friends with one of the Culkin boys, not the actors. This family has had undue amount of horrible things happen. Dakota was very close to her mom and helped with the younger kids. I wish I still had her email, bec. I believev it's essential to those we know to offer the most profound condolences. I called my kid at college and she was in the middle of finals and was unusually rabid that the family is in LA and she spoke to mutual friends and thought there was NO need to reach her Culkin friend, close since 5th grade now both seniors in college. I could not believe that she wouldn't take five minutes out to give comfort in a way few can, she has usually such a sweet voice and her Culkin brother friend adores her. But maybe I'm wrong. She had a voice from hell yelling at me that her friend is busy with the family in LA and she'll see them all in NYC over christmas.

This post is or should not be about my kid, but about how do you all feel about reaching out to those in grief. I always do, even through email, and I am appalled that todays' kids or many of them don't get that essential etiquette or am I the one in the wrong? thanks.

[happycat]

No you are not wrong! I don't understand what is up with kids today either. Luckily my kids are both still very young and sweet. However, I know what I might have to look forward to in a few years. I am trying to raise my kids in a way that they view the world as a global community, and we all have to reach out and take care of each other. Hopefully your daughter is just going through shock over the loss of her friends' sister, and in a short time she will have the confidence to reach out to her and to her brothers.

[BB13]

I read the Huffington Post all the time but I logged in just to reply to your post. Seriously? You're daughter told you she wanted to respect their privacy and she would give her condolences at the right time so what do you? You write a comment about it? I'm guessing this isn't your real name and the whole story may be made up because it sounds highly suspicious at the least ridiculous. I don't mean to make light of what happened by posting this -- it's a horrible tragedy. But, again, seriously? You're name dropping that your daughter is friends with the family, who you have little or no relation to, but insist on going on about it? Very odd. You need to get your priorities straight and act like a Mom not a paparazzi! You're right, this post is not about your kid, it's about you.

[wendy]

BB3 I was shocked at your assumptions. I'm SO not about fame but am always about, as I just posted, giving to the few who love us and vice versa the sense that you are THERE for them, for whenever, and that you care and are sad too. This is nothing like your answer. You posted your first post because you thought I gave a flying f about the fame game. The kid in question is a loner, is lonely and considers my kid his oldest and closest friend. You still might not understand me, you don't have to, but man, a lot of projection in your very odious comment. The end

[Takae]

Perhaps you might like to consider that your daughter might know them well enough to know when to contact them or not to offer condolences. In this case she clearly believes it's not the right time. So be it.

For me, I rarely offer condolences in person within days of a person's death. If I have to, I usually do through cards, letters/emails, or at a chosen place or occasion (like a funeral, wake or memorial service). I do this because of my own experience. Years ago, I lost a sibling, and too many people got in touch by phone and in person to offer condolences. I didn't like it because I had to force myself to interact with them as well as be polite when, really, all I wanted was to cry and be with my family alone. So it's a matter of timing, really. That's just me, though.

[pc51]

Wendy-sometimes when people are under a lot of immediate stress themselves they just can't deal with anything so horrible happening (especially a death) at that moment and then later they really feel terrible. It sounds like your daughter is a good kid and she will come around when she gets to a calmer place than she is in right now. Pushing away at a time like this can be a temporary self-protective measure until she gets through whatever she is dealing with herself, in addition to digesting the bad news.

[superduperandy]

That's great that you left this comment. We all need to hear how uncaring your daughter is. You're absolutely right in first sentence of your second paragraph.

"Today's youth" are always the bad and disrespectful bunch whether it's 2008 or 1968. BTW, this post should not be about today's youth-bashing. :) Oh, but it is - shame on me.