Katherine Short, the eldest daughter of comedian Martin Short, died by suicide on February 23, according to official records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office. The cause of death was confirmed as a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was classified as suicide. Her place of death was listed as her residence in the Hollywood Hills.

Family Statement and Background

A representative for Martin Short, who stars in the Netflix series Only Murders in the Building, confirmed Katherine’s death in a statement shared with Entertainment Weekly. The statement said, “The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”

Katherine was born in 1983 and was adopted by Martin Short and his wife, Nancy Dolman, who passed away in 2010 from ovarian cancer. The couple also adopted two other children: Oliver, born in 1986, and Henry, born in 1989.

Katherine graduated from New York University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and gender sexuality studies. She later earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California in 2010. During her first year of graduate school, she worked with the pro bono law firm Public Counsel, and later trained at the West L.A. Veterans Administration.

Professional Life and Mental Health Work

Katherine worked at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital and the dual-diagnosis outpatient program Camden Center. She later became a licensed clinical social worker at a private practice and also worked part-time at the clinic Amae Health to provide mental health resources and community outreach.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call at a home in the Hollywood Hills on Monday, February 23, at 6:41 p.m. local time regarding a woman approximately 41 years old, according to PEOPLE magazine. The incident was later confirmed as a suicide by the medical examiner.

Martin Short, who is known for his role in The Father of the Bride and his long career in television and film, has often spoken about his children. In a 2019 interview on Conan, he joked about how he tried to push them into the entertainment industry. “I pushed them. I wanted them to go into show business,” he said. “I’d make them do laps in the morning and I kind of go to the balcony with my coffee and [yell] ‘Quitter! Do it again!’”

Katherine did not follow her father into the entertainment industry but pursued a career in mental health, which has become an increasingly important field in recent years. Her work at Amae Health and other clinics helped provide mental health resources to underserved communities, a growing concern in the United States.

The loss of Katherine has sparked conversations about mental health resources, access to care, and the ongoing stigma surrounding mental illness. Experts have pointed out that the U.S. has a shortage of mental health professionals, with the American Psychological Association estimating a gap of over 100,000 mental health providers.

Community Response and What’s Next

The news of Katherine’s death has prompted an outpouring of support from friends, colleagues, and fans of Martin Short. A GoFundMe page has been created in her memory to support mental health initiatives and community outreach programs.

Martin Short has not yet spoken publicly about his daughter’s death, but his representative has asked for privacy for the family as they grieve. The family’s statement emphasized the profound impact Katherine had on those around her, and the community is expected to hold a private memorial in the coming weeks.

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office, Katherine’s death is under official review, and no further details will be released until the family has had time to process the loss. The incident has also prompted local authorities to review mental health crisis response protocols in the area.