Character actor Samuel Monroe Jr., best known for his role in “Menace II Society,” has died after a prolonged battle with bacterial meningitis. He was 52.
The actor was hospitalized in Los Angeles for months on a ventilator after contracting the deadly infection in his brain and spinal cord.
Last week, Monroe’s mother asked a judge to make her conservator over her son, instead of the woman who says she’s his wife.
According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, Joyce Patton filed a petition asking a judge to establish a conservatorship for her son. She questioned whether he was ever legally married to his children’s mother, Shawna Stewart.
Joyce said her son has not lived with Shawna in more than 15 years. Sam lived with his mother for the past four years – and she has proof that he never married Shawna.
Joyce says Shawna has been collecting money from a GoFundMe that was set up for his medical bills. She also received his movie residuals.
Shawna tells TMZ, “Well, we will be fighting in court then. Everything will come out.” She believes Sam didn’t want his mother in charge of his finances or medical decisions.
Sam is known for his roles in the films Menace II Society (1993), Tales from the Hood (1995), Set It Off (1996), and The Players Club (1998).
What is Bacterial Meningitis?
Bacterial meningitis causes inflammation of the mucus membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Signs and symptoms include fever, intense headache, nausea and vomiting, neck stiffness and pain, and sometimes light sensitivity and epilepsy.
Meningitis can also be caused by a virus, fungus and a parasite. The infection is spread through the bloodstream via the nose or a break in the skin caused by a head injury.
The types of bacteria that normally causes meningitis are Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and rarely methicillin-resistant Staphyloccous Aureus (MRSA).
The bacteria normally live on our skin and do not pose a risk to people with healthy immune systems.
The risk of infection increases in people over 50 years old.