Macaulay Culkin's Family 'Absolutely Heartbroken' by Sister's Death

Three of the Culkin brothers were working on Hollywood projects when they heard of the traffic accident

By
Mike Fleeman
Mike Fleeman
Mike Fleeman is a former West Coast editor at PEOPLE. He left PEOPLE in 2014.
People Editorial Guidelines
and
Mark Dagostino
Mark Dagostino
Mark Dagostino is a former senior writer at PEOPLE. He left PEOPLE in 2009.
People Editorial Guidelines
Published on December 16, 2008 05:00PM EST
Image
Photo: Teresa Barbieri/Getty; Ethan Miller/Getty; Retna

Macaulay Culkin and his siblings in their large family are reeling from the traffic accident death of their sister Dakota, their manager tells PEOPLE.

“They’re heartbroken. That I can tell you. They’re just absolutely heartbroken,” says Emily Gerson Saines, who manages Macaulay, Rory and Kieran Culkin.

The brothers were working on separate projects when they received the news that Dakota, 29, died after she was struck by a car Dec. 9 in West Los Angeles.

Macaulay, 28, was shooting the new NBC drama Kings, Kieran, 26, was busy on the set of the movie Paper Man (with Ryan Reynolds), and Rory, 19, was doing interviews to promote Lymelife, which will be premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

All of them have put their work on hold temporarily to deal with the tragedy.

The family also has brothers Christian, 21, and Shane, 32, and sister Quinn, 24.

RELATED ARTICLES:
• 2001: After six years, Macaulay returns to the limelight
• 1990: Macaulay hits it big with Home Alone