The Tragic Death of ‘Land Before Time’ Child Star Judith Barsi [Video]

The death of child actress Judith Barsi has become one of the most infamous pop culture tragedies over the last three decades, and it’s not hard to see why. The Land Before Time star died in 1988 in a murder-suicide by her father, József Barsi. Here’s what we know about this heartbreaking true story.

Judith was born on June 6, 1978 to József and Maria Barsi, both immigrants from Hungary. They left the country separately and met in California where Maria worked as a waitress. They had Judith in Los Angeles County, and they hoped to make her an actress from a young age, according to a report by The Los Angeles Times. She made her screen debut in the 1984 TV miniseries Fatal Vision, and went on to appear in other TV shows and commercials.

Judith is best known for her movie roles, starting with Jaws: The Revengewhere she played Thea Brody in 1987. In 1988, …