(The Hill) — Two Florida deputies have been suspended for sharing the news of comedian Bob Saget’s death before his family was alerted, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to The Hill on Sunday.
Deputies Emiliano Silva and Steven Reed were both suspended for more than three days for their missteps. Silva reportedly told his brother about the late “Full House” star’s death shortly after responding to the scene, the news of which the brother then shared on social media. Silva’s brother’s tweet remained up for about 45 minutes before it was deleted.
Reed, who was not involved in the investigation and was off-duty at the time, reportedly informed his neighbors of Saget’s passing.
Both actions took place before Saget’s family was notified, and before the sheriff’s office’s public information officer publicly announced the death, thus violating the department’s dissemination of information directive.
“This case highlights how important it is to allow detectives in death investigations the time to ensure next of kin notifications are made before that information is disseminated to the public,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said in a statement.
He added, “The deputies acknowledged their wrongdoing and were disciplined for their actions.”
Saget died unexpectedly in February from head trauma. It was determined that drugs and alcohol were not factors in his death. His autopsy also determined that Saget’s death was not a result of foul play.