Leah Newman, a former Harpo Entertainment executive and daughter of WME partner Robert Newman, died Nov. 24 in Los Angeles at the age of 33, two days after giving birth to a daughter.
In an unbelievably tragic turn of events, Leah Newman died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, just two days after the birth of her first child, Beatrice Violet. The family cited the cause of death as unknown postpartum complications. Baby Beatrice will be raised by Robert Newman and his wife, Cindy Newman. The family that includes Leah’s three sisters is devastated by the sudden loss.
“To know Leah was to love her. She was an extraordinarily loving, generous, and kind person; her big heart overflowed with compassion for humanity. Leah loved to sew, cook, travel and spend time with her family and friends. Leah’s greatest dream was to become a mother,” the family said in a statement.
Leah Newman with daughter Beatrice
Courtesy of Newman family
Born in 1988 in South Florida, Leah Newman was raised in Beverly Hills, Calif. She worked in entertainment for Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Entertainment and other companies before making a career turn to become a speech pathologist. She worked for both Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles.
The family requests that donations be made in Leah Newman’s name to the March of Dimes or a trust fund that will be established in Beatrice’s name.
In addition to her parents and her daughter, Leah is survived by three sisters, Sara, Jenna and Emma. A memorial service is being planned for Dec. 2, with details forthcoming.