Cristy Caserta, who competed in Season 15 of ABC reality show "The Bachelor" in 2011, died suddenly in South Florida on Thursday, according to police in the Broward County city of Sunrise. She was 38.
Officer Luis Fernandez confirmed to USA TODAY that Caserta was in a training class of some sort early Thursday when her classmates noticed her head hit her desk and her coffee cup went flying.
They rushed to offer aid but she was unresponsive. An emergency team arrived to perform CPR. She was taken a hospital, Westside Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead just before 9 a.m. EDT, Fernandez said.
The cause of death has not been established; the county medical examiner is conducting an autopsy Friday, Fernandez said. It could be weeks before a cause is established. The medical examiner's office did not return a message from USA TODAY.
A post shared by Cristy Caserta (@cristycaserta) on
"The (young) age and the circumstances of how this occurred catch attention; we made sure we were on the thorough side (of investigating the death)," Fernandez said.
Fernandez said Caserta, an attorney, had an address in South Florida but not in Sunrise.
Caserta appeared on Season 15 of "The Bachelor," when Brad Womack was the bachelor having a second go at finding a mate. She was one of 10 contestants sent home the first week.
In her Twitter profile, she described herself as an “attorney…FSU Alum…Just an easy going South Florida girl" who lasted a "hot minute on ABC’s The Bachelor 15."
Her last Instagram picture, on Sept. 15, showed her standing in a vineyard in Napa Valley, smiling wide and holding up a glass of red wine. "When in Napa... 🍇 See🍷Swirl🍷Sniff 🍷Sip 🍷Savor," the caption read.
Emily Maynard, 32, the woman who won Womack’s heart during the 2011 season before splitting months later, paid tribute in a statement to Us Weekly.
“Being on a show like 'The Bachelor,' you truly form relationships that are so special because it’s an experience no one else can relate to. I’m grateful for my memories with Cristy and will be praying for her family and friends.”
ABC declined to comment. USA TODAY has also reached out to Warner Bros. Television, which produces "The Bachelor," for comment.
