Jeffery had previously spoken publicly about living with epilepsy and was profiled by the Epilepsy Foundation. That history formed part of her advocacy and visibility as a Black actor with the condition, but there is no reported evidence connecting epilepsy to her death.
How did Carla Jeffery build her acting career?
Born in Houston, Jeffery began acting at 12 and appeared alongside Mo’Nique in the 2006 comedy Phat Girlz. She later took roles in Southland, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Her largest audience came through Disney Channel. Jeffery appeared in Good Luck Charlie and Shake It Up before playing Bree across three Zombies films. She also portrayed the character in music videos and 15 episodes of Zombies: The Re-Animated Series.
Variety reported that Jeffery was the twin sister of Carlon Jeffery, known for playing Cameron Parks on Disney Channel’s A.N.T. Farm. Before her death, Carlon shared a message telling his sister, “I love you to the moon & back,” while praising her resilience and grace.
Her management team announced the loss publicly on September 2. “We will remember her infectious smile, her laughter, her talent, and the beautiful light she carried everywhere she went,” the statement said, while asking that the family’s privacy be respected.
How have her friends and costars responded?
Meg Donnelly, Jeffery’s Zombies costar, posted a tribute on September 3 and said she had been “in a state of denial.” Donnelly described her friend as “truly a one of a kind” and remembered what she called the most contagious laugh she had ever heard.
Donnelly initially resisted posting because doing so felt “strange and unnatural” during such a devastating time. She eventually shared photographs of the cast smiling together, believing that was how Jeffery would want to be remembered.
“I know she’s waiting for a post of all of us smiling, laughing, loving each other,” Donnelly wrote. “Thank you for being such a huge part of my life. I love you always.”
Other cast members offered similar memories. Chandler Kinney called Jeffery “the sweetest, most radiant girl” and said her legacy of bringing joy to people would continue. Milo Manheim remembered her as the sweetest person he had met.
Why is the family seeking funeral assistance?
TMZ later reported that Jeffery’s family launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral and burial expenses, citing unexpected financial pressure. The appeal adds an uncomfortable but familiar detail to the story: nearly two decades of screen credits do not necessarily leave a performer’s family insulated from sudden costs.
No further official information about the autopsy had been released by September 4. Until the coroner completes that work, the cause remains undetermined, despite confident claims circulating elsewhere.
What is established is narrower and more useful: Jeffery died at 33, her family says drugs and foul play were not involved, police are not investigating, and the medical findings are still pending. Her relatives and colleagues have asked for privacy while remembering an actor whose Disney work, epilepsy advocacy and warmth reached well beyond the roles listed in her credits.
