Cindyana Santangelo, actor and model who lived the ‘party rock star life' before getting sober, has died
Cindyana Santangelo, a philanthropist, model and actor who made memorable appearances in music videos for Young MC and Jane's Addiction and had roles in 'ER' and 'CSI: Miami,' died Monday at a hospital near her Malibu home, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed to The Times.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to a home on Westlake Boulevard in Malibu for a medical emergency around 7:15 p.m. Monday, the sheriff's department said in an alert. She was taken by paramedics to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. The cause of death is unknown; an autopsy is pending. Sheriff's homicide investigators are assisting deputies from the Los Hills Sheriff's Station with the continuing investigation, as is routine when the cause of death is unknown.
Born Cindy Lehrer in 1967 in Manhattan, per IMDb, she was raised in Los Angeles. She started out as a dancer, appearing in various music videos in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Young MC's 'Bust a Move' video. She also delivered the Spanish-language introduction to the 'Juana's Adicción' tune 'Stop' in a Jane's Addiction video, leading frontman Perry Farrell to later describe her to Spin magazine as 'the Latin Marilyn Monroe.'
As Cindyana Lair, she appeared on 'Married ... With Children' as Jiggly Room dancer Sierra Madre.
She married Frank Santangelo in 2001 and was the mother of two boys. Her LinkedIn page lists her as the director and chief executive of Mermaids Cove Malibu, described as an all-women's luxury sober living facility. In what appear to be documentary or reality-show promos based on Mermaids Cove, Santangelo described herself while discussing why she chose to help others.
'I'm Cindyana. I'm a great mommy, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a CEO — and a recovering addict,' she says in one video, adding later, 'I had kind of the party rock star life, but I ended up as sort of, everybody knows, a low-bottom junkie.
'When I had the blessing to get clean and sober this time,' she says, 'I realized that there was a niche in this market of recovery for people like me. That someone like me could touch only a certain ilk of women, that they would believe it and hear it only from me.'
Santangelo spoke with The Times in 2008 when she was offering up what was then her home in Malibu Cove Colony as an August rental, asking $55,000 per month. Regis Philbin and his wife, Joy, were interested, she said at the time.
Santangelo's friends remembered her online Tuesday and Wednesday.
'My heart aches as I write this. I'm still in shock and disbelief. How can you be gone??? ... Malibu was your paradise, where your soul danced with the tides and your laughter blended with the sound of the waves,' Cynthia Banuelos wrote on Instagram in a post mourning Santangelo's passing. 'You had a heart as vast as the ocean, a spirit as free as the wind, and a love that ran deeper than the blue depths you adored. Frank and the Boys (Dante & Lucci), were your reason for living.'
'Swim free, my beautiful mermaid. Until we meet again,' she added.
'Head of the Class' actor Kimberly Russell chimed in on Banuelos' post, writing in comments, 'my beautiful Cindyana …. an angel in life …. this is shocking rest in peace …'
'No no no! This is impossible,' German actor Xenia Seeberg wrote in comments. 'We just spoke a few days ago and planned together for Thailand and Istanbul and how we would see each other again much more often…! I am in complete shock. What happened to my beautiful sister??? Much too early to rest in peace.'
'I am devastated of this horrific news,' Samantha Bennington, wife of the late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, said in comments. 'We were just about to celebrate her for her birthday!!!! This is a huge loss, not only for us as her family and friends, but for the entire community!!!! You will forever be in our hearts and we're here for you all Frank and the kids. We are here for you.'
Bennington also put up her own Instagram post where she thanked Santangelo, saying, 'you wrapped your arms around me and accepted me and loved on me as a friend the very first moment you met me I'll never forget you for welcoming me into your tribe ... heartbroken.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
6 hours ago
- Black America Web
The Top Developments In Altadena Following Eaton Wildfires
Source: Mario Tama / Getty Four months ago, the community of Altadena and its residents were forever changed when the devastating wildfires ripped through the area and caused a wealth of damage and despair. In the months since, there have been multiple developments that have occurred as the area attempts to restore itself to former glory, and residents commence the slow process of rebuilding their lives, homes and businesses that the Eaton wildfires destroyed. To provide an update on where things stand currently in Altadena, here is a list of some of the most important developments that have occurred in the community. Significant Increase In Crime Back in April, there were reports from local law enforcement that Altadena saw a significant increase in crime, largely due to theft and robberies in the area. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, crime has surged by 250% due to looting, robberies and other forms of theft. The following month, in an effort to prioritize the safety of Altadena residents, authorities employed the use of AI cameras to capture and process evidentiary information — such as license plates — to send real-time alerts to authorities. Clean Up, Debris Removal Stalled For Businesses One of the biggest and lingering issues facing Altadena is the continued delay of cleanup and debris removal for local businesses, which have been placed further down on the list of priorities in comparison to residential areas. Unlike their residential neighbors, Altadena businesses were tasked with the responsibility of cleaning up their properties, as no cleanup assistance or debris removal has been provided to any commercial properties. 'Commercial property debris removal is the responsibility of the property owner. Currently, USACE has no task from FEMA to execute commercial property removal,' the Army Corps confirmed via statement to the Los Angeles Times . Small Loans Offered To Local Businesses Prayers were answered and a form of relief was granted in early May when the Los Angeles County Development Authority, along with Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger, officially launched a disaster relief small business loan program for eligible Altadena establishments of up to $75,000. The program was established to help Altadena businesses begin to 'recover, rebuild and retain jobs.' Barger shared the mission behind the loan program, saying, 'The Eaton Fire devastated many in our Altadena community, and this program ensures we're providing real support where it's needed most.' 'Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and helping them get back on their feet is essential to restoring stability, jobs, and community spirit in the wake of disaster,' she added. First Home Rebuild Underway Looking at the initial aftermath of how the Eaton wildfires destroyed the Altadena community, many residents had no idea just how long it would take to get their homes rebuilt and restored, as they attempted to return to normalcy. However, the good news that the rebuilding process is making progress came in the form of resident Margot Stuebert, who was one of many who lost her home. Local work crews officially broke ground on Stuebert's rebuild in late April. 'It's the first day of my new life,' she said of the rebuilding of her home. 'After all the grief and loss, I now start to see myself here.' Former Black California Mayors Provide $1 Million In Relief Former California mayors, Aja Brown, who previously represented the city of Compton, and Michael Tubbs, former rep of Stockton, launched the wildfire relief initiative, the Dena Care Collective, that was directly distributed to Black Altadena families impacted by the Eaton wildfires. To date, $100,000 has been distributed to over 50 households in the community, and the Dena Care Collective plans to distribute a total of $1 million in recovery funding for impacted Black residents. The initiative is part of a long-term strategy aimed at keeping Black Altadena families in place. SEE ALSO: Former Black California Mayors Supply $1M In Wildfire Relief To Black Altadena Residents Colby Colb Talks Altadena Wildfire Recovery And New Podcast Telling The Community's Story SEE ALSO The Top Developments In Altadena Following Eaton Wildfires was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison recaptured: Authorities
The former Arkansas police chief who escaped prison while serving a 30-year sentence for murder and rape has been recaptured after nearly two weeks on the run, authorities said. Grant Hardin was captured by law enforcement officials Friday afternoon, approximately 1.5 miles west of the northern Arkansas prison he had escaped, according to the Izard County Sheriff's Office. His identity was confirmed by fingerprint analysis, the sheriff's office said. Hardin, 56, escaped the Calico Rock North Central Unit in Izard County on May 25 after donning a uniform and impersonating a corrections officer and being allowed to walk through a sally port pulling a cart. MORE: 'Evil man': Search continues for ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison Hardin, the former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton, according to The Associated Press. He was also convicted of the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, a crime highlighted in the 2023 television documentary "Devil in the Ozarks." During the search, officials deployed helicopters, drones and K9 officers. A U.S. Border Patrol tactical unit from Texas, known as BORTAC, had also been deployed to Arkansas to assist in the manhunt, officials said. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed gratitude for the local, state and federal law enforcement -- and especially thanked the Trump administration "for sending Border Patrol who helped track and apprehend Hardin." "Arkansans can breathe a sigh of relief because violent criminal Grant Hardin is now in custody," she said in a post on social media. MORE: US Border Patrol tactical unit deployed to help manhunt for escaped Arkansas inmate The FBI and U.S. Marshals offered a combined $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Arkansas officials urged residents of the surrounding Izard County to stay vigilant and lock the doors of their homes and vehicles following his escape. "I am very scared that this guy is going to hurt or kill somebody before this is over with," Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long told ABC News amid the manhunt. Nathan Smith, the former Benton County prosecutor who helped put Hardin behind bars, told Arkansas ABC affiliate KHBS the escaped inmate is "a sociopath."
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison recaptured: Authorities
The former Arkansas police chief who escaped prison while serving a 30-year sentence for murder and rape has been recaptured after nearly two weeks on the run, authorities said. Grant Hardin was captured by law enforcement officials Friday afternoon, approximately 1.5 miles from the northern Arkansas prison he had escaped, according to the Izard County Sheriff's Office. His identity was confirmed by fingerprint analysis, the sheriff's office said. Hardin, 56, escaped the Calico Rock North Central Unit in Izard County on May 25 after donning a uniform and impersonating a corrections officer and being allowed to walk through a sally port pulling a cart. MORE: 'Evil man': Search continues for ex-police chief who escaped Arkansas prison Hardin, the former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton, according to The Associated Press. He was also convicted of the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, a crime highlighted in the 2023 television documentary "Devil in the Ozarks." During the search, officials deployed helicopters, drones and K9 officers. A U.S. Border Patrol tactical unit from Texas, known as BORTAC, had also been deployed to Arkansas to assist in the manhunt, officials said. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed gratitude for the local, state and federal law enforcement -- and especially thanked the Trump administration for sending Border Patrol, "who helped track and apprehend Hardin." "Arkansans can breathe a sigh of relief because violent criminal Grant Hardin is now in custody," she said in a post on social media. MORE: US Border Patrol tactical unit deployed to help manhunt for escaped Arkansas inmate The FBI and U.S. Marshals offered a combined $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Arkansas officials urged residents of the surrounding Izard County to stay vigilant and lock the doors of their homes and vehicles following his escape. "I am very scared that this guy is going to hurt or kill somebody before this is over with," Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long told ABC News amid the manhunt. Nathan Smith, the former Benton County prosecutor who helped put Hardin behind bars, told Arkansas ABC affiliate KHBS the escaped inmate is "a sociopath."
