(CNN) Sawyer Sweeten, the adorable child star who charmed fans for a decade on "Everybody Loves Raymond," committed suicide early Thursday, his sister Madylin Sweeten said in a statement.
He was 19.
"This morning a terrible family tragedy has occurred," Madylin Sweeten said in a statement passed on by her manager Dino May.
"We are devastated to report that our beloved brother, son, and friend, Sawyer Sweeten, took his own life. He was weeks away from his 20th birthday. At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love."
Sweeten, best known for his role Geoffrey Barone, was visiting family in Texas, entertainment industry magazine Hollywood Reporter reported, where he is believed to have shot himself on the front porch.
Sawyer Sweeten was born in May 1995 in Brownwood, Texas.
He was a year and a half old when he started on "Raymond," playing next to his real-life twin brother Sullivan, who starred as Michael Barone, according to the website IMDb. Their sister, Madylin, played their TV sister Ally Barone.
The series developed a loyal following and ran from September 1996 through May 2005.
