Influencer Deaths of 2026: Alejo Little, Elena Jessica and More We’ve Lost

Social media is paying tribute to many influencers who died in 2026.

While recording a private New Year’s Eve livestream, Sergio Jiménez died at age 37. Days later, content creator Athira Auni died on January 3 at age 21 after a motorcycle accident.

News broke later that month that Isabel Veloso died at age 19 after a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and Jéssica Daugirdas died at age 35 after being hospitalized for sepsis while battling colorectal cancer.

In February, Chinnu Papu died by suicide at age 24. Later that month, influencer Derleya Alves died after experiencing breast augmentation complications. In March, Ben Wood, Elena Jessica, Carol the Warrior and Alejo Little all died.

Scroll down to remember the influencers who died in 2026:

Alejo Little, real name David Alejandro Peláez Marín, died on March 13. He was 33. The Columbian influencer’s passing was confirmed by fellow influencer Carlos Feria, who posted via Instagram, “Today I woke up to some bad news, and it’s that a friend of mine passed away.”

The details surrounding Little’s passing have not been publicly released. Prior to his death, the social media star amassed more than 4.2 million followers combined on Instagram and TikTok for sharing his journey with a form of skeletal dysplasia with his fans.

Carolina Reyes, known online as Carol the Warrior, died on March 11 after a battle with cancer. 

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our warrior,” Carol’s family wrote via Instagram. “She was a warrior, a brilliant person and a human being who never gave up in the face of any difficulty that came her way.”

Ben Wood, an American food and beer influencer, died on March 9 after trying to rescue a couple who were struggling in the water after being swept out to sea in Algarrobo, a coastal city in Chile. He was 43.

Local news outlet BioBioChile reported that Wood, his father Norman Ray Wood, 77, his partner Maria Jose Duarte Ureta, 47, all died at the scene. The woman they tried to save, Patricia del Pilar Bello Labe, 26, also died. Labe’s partner, Hernández Bustos was rescued by helicopter.

Nigerian socialite Elena Jessica died after she reportedly underwent her second BBL surgery, her sister Nelli shared via TikTok.

“My sister went to Cynosure and never came back the same,” she wrote in an emotional post on March 7. “Now she’s gone. 😭😭All I want is answers. All I want is justice. They can’t silence this.”

Cynosure Aesthetic Plastic Surgery shared a statement regarding Elena’s death via Instagram, noting that a “patient” — presumably referring to the influencer — had sought a “corrective procedure” at their facility after she previously underwent a surgery at another clinic. She was later referred to another clinic for further care. 

“However, the patient was subsequently taken to a different facility, a decision made outside of our hospital three weeks ago,” the statement continued. “We do herby empathize with the family of the deceased and pray for the repose of her soul.”

Cynosure said it had “recorded zero patient deaths” this year.

Arun Tupe was found unresponsive at his home in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, India, on March 10, according to Indian news outlets. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Tupe was 26.

Fitness influencer Stephanie Buttermore’s fiancé, Jeff Nippard, confirmed her death on March 6. She was 36.

“It is with profound sorrow that we share the sudden passing of Jeff’s fiancée and partner of 10 years, Stephanie,” an Instagram statement from the bodybuilder’s team read. “As many of you know, Stephanie meant the world to Jeff.”

The statement continued, “She will be remembered for her warmth and compassion, her love for her family and her Ph.D research on ovarian cancer. We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate this tragic loss. Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time.”

Local outlet Correio Braziliense reported that Brazilian influencer Karla Thaynnara died on March 3 after her motorcycle collided with a car on a highway. She was 25. The outlet reported that her father, Military Police officer José Carlos Andrade Nogueira, arrived at the scene and died by suicide after learning about his daughter’s death.

After Derleya Alves underwent a breast augmentation on February 20, she reportedly began experiencing intense abdominal pain. She went on to have multiple tests and two additional surgeries, where her intestines were repaired and one of her ovaries were removed. Alves died on February 28 at Marabá Municipal Hospital in the Brazilian city of Marabá.

According to the Daily Mail, the Marabá Municipal Hospital medical team “identified a possible congenital intestinal abnormality that may have contributed to the severity of her condition.” Despite no suspicion of medical malpractice, information on Alves’ condition before the operation and her cause of death is pending.

The wellness influencer’s family confirmed she died on February 24 after complications from an IVF procedure. She was 31. Her cousin, Nahiza Monteles, told Brazilian news outlet G1 that she went into cardiorespiratory arrest at a private clinic in São Paulo and was then transferred to a hospital, where she was in a coma for eight days.

The French influencer died after a car accident at age 22, according to newspaper Le Parisien. The outlet reported that Young Melvyn was driving on a highway system that connects Paris to Lyon when he lost control of his car and crashed into the median around 1 a.m. local time. He was pronounced dead at the scene on February 23 by authorities after being removed from his vehicle, the outlet reported. An investigation has been opened by authorities to determine his official cause of death.

Bianca Dias died days after undergoing a cosmetic surgery procedure. The Brazilian content creator died on February 19, according to her loved ones. Dias, who was known for documenting her experience as a model, most recently shared content from a vacation in London in December 2025. Those posts appeared to be her last activity on social media.

“She had a pulmonary clot, had 2 seizures, and when she arrived at the hospital, she was no longer alive,” her friend wrote via Instagram. “I want to thank the countless messages, thank you all who took the time to worry and send messages, if you can pray for the family regardless of religion, I will be extremely grateful! 🤍.”

Damiano Alberti’s family shared on February 16 that the influencer died after a three-year battle with cancer. “A part of us has flown away forever,” the family wrote via Instagram, translated to English by ChatGPT. “Damiano is free from everything he went through.” The statement continued, “Thank you for always supporting and respecting him; he loved his whole community and was proud of what he managed to build.”

Multiple outlets reported that Emma Amit died in the hospital on February 6, two days after she filmed herself eating the toxic “Devil Crab.” She was 51.

Influencer Chinnu Papu died by suicide at age 24. Her neighbors reportedly found her unresponsive inside her rented home around noon on February 9, per India TV News and Onmanorama.

Papu was transported to a local hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead. A postmortem examination confirmed her cause of death, according to multiple reports. Officials said there was no initial evidence of force or assault.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Jéssica Daugirdas died at age 35 after being hospitalized with sepsis amid her colorectal cancer battle. “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Jessica,” her family wrote in a statement via Instagram on January 25, which was translated by People. “God, in His infinite wisdom, has taken our warrior to be with Him, after she fought bravely until the end, with strength, faith and courage.”

The statement continued, “In this time of grief, we unite in prayer so that the Lord may comfort the hearts of all family and friends, and that the peace of Christ may sustain each one.”

Indonesian influencer Lula Lahfah died on January 23 after experiencing alleged health issues. She was 26. CNN Indonesia reported that Lahfah was found dead by security officers inside an apartment building in the Dharmawangsa neighborhood of South Jakarta, Indonesia.

“Currently, South Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation Unit officers are still processing the crime scene (TKP) to investigate the incident and are coordinating with the family,” Metro Jaya Police’s Head of Public Relations Kombes Budi Hermanto said, per People.

Lahfah had allegedly struggled with her health, spending New Year’s in the hospital, CNN Indonesia reported.

News broke on January 19 that Ivonne Enriquez Ramirez died after being involved in a car accident. She was 20. Mexican newspaper Milenio reported that Enriquez was traveling on January 9 around 8 a.m. local time from the celebration of the town’s 487th anniversary with the mayor of the southern Mexican town Santa María Huatulco, Julio César Cárdenas Ortega. Spanish newspaper 20 Minutos reported that the vehicle overturned and fell into a ravine that was about 164 feet deep.

“With deeply broken hearts, we share the painful passing of my beloved little sister Sweet Ivonne Enriquez Ramirez,” Ramirez’s sister Michel wrote in a statement via Facebook on January 19. “As a family, this moment breaks our souls. It’s an immense pain, difficult to describe and even harder to accept. Nothing prepares us for a loss like this.”

The statement continued, “We want to wholeheartedly thank each person who lifted up a prayer, sent a message, a word of encouragement or accompanied us with love during this very difficult time. Every show of love, every thought and every prayer reached us and held us up when we had no strength anymore.”

The message shared that Ramirez left an “indelible mark” on their lives and hearts, adding that her memory will “live on forever in us.” The statement concluded, “We deeply appreciate your understanding and ask for respect in this difficult and painful situation as we go through this grieving process as a family.”

Isaac Efraín Valadez was found dead on January 10 inside his truck with gunshot wounds. He was 44. Local newspaper El Heraldo de México reported that authorities in Ensenada, Mexico, were notified of an armed attack and found Valadez — who was known online as “Chakin Valadez” — dead at the scene before 7 a.m. The outlet reported that at least seven shots were fired. The Baja California State Attorney General’s Office has not made any arrests in connection with Valadez’s death, according to the outlet.

Esther Thomas died on January 9 after undergoing surgery. “Greetings … We the family of Esther Thomas [A.K.A Sunshine] with pain in our heart we regret to announce the sudden demise of our beloved sister and daughter Esther Thomas who suddenly passed away on the 9th of January 2026 after an unsuccessful surgery,” a statement shared via Thomas’ Instagram read. “She had [a] fibroid and was operated on so she couldn’t make it so we are trying to put things in place so we could put her to rest.”

Isabel Veloso died at Hospital Erasto Gaertner in Curitiba, Brazil, on January 10, Brazilian outlet Mix Vale reported. She was 19. Veloso had been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma since her diagnosis in 2021.

Sergio Jiménez reportedly died during a private New Year’s Eve livestream at age 37. Streamer Simón Pérez alleged on a January 4 YouTube livestream that Jiménez consumed six grams of cocaine on the night of his death.

Pérez also claimed to be in contact with Jiménez’s brother, who reported that he had consumed whiskey in the final livestream. Mossos d’Esquadra — the police force in Catalonia, Spain — launched an investigation into Jiménez’s death, the outlet reported, with authorities ordering an autopsy on his body. Mossos d’Esquadra released a video on social media on January 6 encouraging people not to participate in “viral challenges” that could “put your life or your physical integrity in danger.”

“The consequences of these trends can range from intoxication to physical and psychological effects, and can also have a negative impact on their reputation, affecting job and academic opportunities due to the digital footprint left behind,” an officer said in the clip, translated by People. “It’s important to be aware that some trends can have consequences if they involve acts of vandalism or aggression.”

Nurul Athira Auni Mohamad Hafizzan, who went by the name Athira Auni online, died on January 3 at age 21. Local outlets Sinar Daily, Sinar Harian and New Straits Times reported that Auni was driving in the right lane when another motorcycle crashed into her from behind after swerving to attempt to avoid her vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The other motorcyclist faced injuries on his hands, elbows and thighs and received medical care at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital.

Auni’s body was transported to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital for a post-mortem examination, according to local outlets. The case is under investigation for potential reckless or dangerous driving leading to death.

Yulia Burtseva died at age 38 after undergoing cosmetic surgery at a private clinic in Moscow on January 4. She was pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital following her condition getting worse, according to Russian news outlet MSK1.

While citing the Moscow Investigative Committee, MSK1 reported that the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Moscow has opened a criminal case to investigate potential negligence charges.

“Investigators from the Moscow Investigative Committee are working at the scene,” a translated statement by the Moscow Investigative Committee and obtained by MSK1 read. “Necessary official and medical records will be seized shortly. A number of forensic examinations, including a medical one, are being ordered.”