John Amos' Final Wish Was a Delay in Death Announcement to Avoid Daughter Turning It 'into a Circus,' Says Rep (Exclusive)

Family members and close friends of John Amos are speaking out about the circumstances of his death at the age of 84.

On October 2, the late actor’s “collective family and close friends,” including his daughter Shannon Amos and goddaughter Amy Goudy, released a statement on Facebook about his death and called out his son Kelly Christopher “KC” Amos for his alleged treatment by his father in his last days. They also claimed that KC did not inform the rest of the family about John’s death, which they found suspicious.

Shortly after the message made headlines, Belinda Foster, John’s longtime publicist, who is also named in Goudy’s statement, denied the claims in an exclusive statement shared with PEOPLE.

“I represented John Amos for over 30 years as his publicist,” Foster said. “The media knows this along with John’s agencies of record. Over the years we have become close to each other to the point of a family relationship. He has often referred to me as his ‘daughter’ over the past few years. This was not a scam by John, KC or myself. He was like a father to me. I deeply regret his death.”

Shannon’s claims that John was abused are false, Foster continued. “KC, Eugene and I, along with numerous others, cared for him. On several occasions when Shannon claimed he was being abused, law enforcement sat down with John and confirmed his well-being.”

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John Amos, Shannon Amos and KC Amos at the 1st Annual Power Heroes “A Celebration of Heroes” on December 3, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

Brian To/FilmMagic

In a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday by John’s goddaughter Amy Goudy on behalf of herself, Shannon and others connected to the actor, they said they view the “circumstances surrounding their father’s death” with “deep sadness and anguish.”

“He was a loving man who brought light into the lives of many. However, it was only today that our family learned of his death through media reports, only to discover that he actually passed away 45 days ago,” the statement said. They also claimed that they “were not informed” and that the tragic news of his death left them “in shock and pain”.

Without a death certificate in their possession, they claimed they did not know “where or why he died” but were aware he was “suffering from congestive heart failure and dementia”. They said they “fear he was probably cremated to avoid any potential investigation into the conditions surrounding his final days.”

According to a death certificate obtained by PEOPLE on Oct. 2, John died of congestive heart failure on Aug. 21 at 5:18 p.m. at a hospital in Inglewood, California. There were no other significant medical conditions that contributed to his death and no autopsy was performed. The certificate also confirmed that Good times the star’s remains were cremated on August 30, just nine days after he died. KC is listed as the informant who reported his death to Los Angeles County and appears to be in possession of his father’s ashes.

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John Amos and Esther Rolle in ‘Good Times’.

CBS Photo Archive/Getty

Also in Goudy’s statement, they said KC, Eugene Brummet and Foster “isolated the actor from his loved ones despite their repeated attempts to maintain contact.” They further alleged that KC “prevented access to him, controlled and monitored his calls,” as well as cut ties with family including Shannon, his brother Leslie Franklin, his accountant, business manager and others.

“KC portrayed an image of a close father-son relationship on social media, but the reality was far more complex,” they continued, claiming that KC gave him verbal encouragement to create a false “story” on social media. “We were deeply concerned that our father may have been neglected and isolated during his final days as we received photographs from concerned neighbors and a medical professional.”

Foster’s statement addressed claims that KC had failed to notify the family of his death, saying, “At the time of John’s death, KC was under a strict restraining order issued by the New Jersey Superior Court based on a complaint his sister Shannon filed against him in 2023. ”

“As a condition of his pre-trial release, KC is barred from having any contact with Shannon directly or indirectly via telephone, social media or any method of communication,” she explained. “At the time of his death, John was concerned that Shannon might turn his death and funeral into a circus as she had done with other aspects of his life.”

“It was John who requested a delay in announcing his death to Shannon and the rest of the world,” Foster added.

John Amos’ cause of death revealed a day after his son announced Good times The actor died

(L) KC and his father John Amos.

Courtesy of John and KC Amos

Goudy cited a 2023 investigation into John’s care that was launched when Shannon claimed she was a “victim of elder abuse”. At the time, Shannon filed a complaint with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and created a GoFundMe page for “care expenses,” which she later took down at his request (John later spoke to PEOPLE, calling the elder abuse claims “false and unwarranted.”)

Goudy’s statement claims that the 2023 investigation was triggered by a photo they discovered, claiming the circumstances of John’s death “mirrored” the deaths of Shannon and KC’s mother. They claimed Shannon “struggled to be with her mother” after KC prevented the family from being “present and making decisions together”.

“The family also questions why none of the medical professionals, the coroner or the authorities notified us of his death and why KC did not notify any family members directly,” their statement continued. “We believe there are critical questions that need to be answered, especially since we believe KC likely made the decision to cremate John Amos without the family’s knowledge.”

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John Amos and daughter Shannon during Cure Autism Now’s third annual “Acts of Love” After Party.

J. Sciulli/WireImage

Goudy’s statement indicates they suspect KC’s actions were taken to “alter potential wills and collect life insurance or other benefits,” while citing his past struggles with addiction, mental health issues and prior arrest record.

“While we mourn the loss of our beloved father, we are also saddened and outraged by the actions of KC Amos,” they continued. “We refuse to rule out the possibility of foul play, particularly given the involvement of two individuals, Eugene Brummer and Belinda Foster (who claims to have been John’s spokeswoman), who we believe may have taken advantage of his vulnerability as an elderly person.”

“At a time when we should be mourning and celebrating our father’s remarkable life, we find ourselves in the unfortunate position of seeking justice and clarity,” the statement concluded.

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In Foster’s statement, she said she plans to continue “representing her clients with enthusiasm and skill” as a “professional publicist,” that she was “sorry that Shannon chose this path, but in keeping with John’s approach, I will respond to her with firm but compassion.” “John loved Shannon, but she was a difficult child to the point that John had to order the unauthorized ‘GoFundMe’ page she set up in June 2023 to be shut down, she said. “For those wondering about John’s state of mind, I should note that did John have interviews with PEOPLE magazine, Variety magazine, The Hollywood Reporterand he acted in ANSWERS LA most recently in 2024. Medical authorities interviewed him last year and found him to be mentally sound.”

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Foster concluded, “In order to preserve John’s well-earned reputation as a fine actor and social activist, we hope we can put an end to these preposterous claims that Shannon is offering out of her own pain as a result of being estranged from her father. .”

PEOPLE reached out to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department, who said there is currently “no news or statement” regarding the reopening of John’s elder abuse case.

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