Hudson Meek, 16-year-old “Baby Driver” actor, dies after falling from a moving vehicle, officials say
Hudson Meek, the child actor known best for his performance in the 2017 film “Baby Driver,” has died, authorities said. He was 16.
Meek was pronounced dead Dec. 21 at University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, the Jefferson County Coroner confirmed to CBS News. He succumbed to blunt force injuries he’d suffered two days earlier, when he fell from a moving vehicle, according to the coroner’s report.
The coroner said the circumstances around Meek’s death are under investigation by the police department in Vestavia Hills, the Birmingham suburb where the actor lived and the incident occurred.
A post on Meek’s Instagram account Sunday announced he had died but did not share details about what happened.
“Our hearts are broken to share that Hudson Meek went home to be with Jesus tonight. His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met,” the post’s caption read in part.
A memorial service for Meek is scheduled to take place at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, Alabama, this Saturday, Dec. 28, and will be available to livestream, according to a second post shared to social media Wednesday and an obituary.
The obituary described as “reflective and thoughtful” yet “tenacious when he set his mind to something.”
“Hudson’s personality was one of a kind,” it said. “He was confident, convicted in his beliefs, spontenous, and quick-witted. He never let the facts get in the way of a funny story, and he loved friendly banter. He was a prankster, loved a good joke, and was happiest when he was making others laugh.”
Meek was a sophomore at Vestavia Hills High School, where he played football and was a member of the choir as well as the school’s fellowship of Christian athletes, according to the obituary. His acting career took off in 2017, when he played the younger version of Ansel Elgort’s titular character in the action-crime movie “Baby Driver.”