Lyric McHenry, a 26-year-old video producer, social media activist, and reality TV star was found dead early this morning.
In an email, the NYPD reported that "a 26-year-old female, unconscious and unresponsive, lying on the sidewalk in the vicinity of Undercliff Avenue and Boscobel Place. There were no obvious signs of trauma observed. EMS responded to the location and transported the aided female to Bronx Lebanon Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased."
Police would not comment on the circumstances of McHenry's death to Refinery29. Authorities are still investigating.
At just 15 years old, McHenry worked with the Obama presidential campaign. She was a Stanford graduate. In 2016 she starred in the E! Channel's reality television show EJNYC with her good friend, EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson.
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McHenry interned in the video department of Refinery29 from 2016 to 2017. She was a producer and on-screen talent and was devoted to opening up a dialogue around racial and social awareness. In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, she starred in the Refinery29 YouTube series Lingo With Lyric where she attempted to unpack the vocabulary around race.
Jon Bulette, the Head of Video Development at Refinery29 recalled McHenry as a very special person. "She was funny, proactive, and incredibly creatively driven," Bulette said. "She was an excellent communicator and I couldn't wait to see where her talent and creativity would take her."
In videos posted to her Instagram story a few hours before her body was found, McHenry can be seen celebrating with friends, the Manhattan skyline in the background, as she blows a kiss to the camera.
This is a developing story and will be updated.