Family of Poltergeist child star explain why they're 'hurt' by rumors of a 'curse' years after her death aged 12

The family of Heather O'Rourke, an actress known for starring in the Poltergeist movie franchise, have spoken out nearly four decades on from her passing.

Heather died at the age of 12 on February 1, 1988, just a few months before Poltergeist III was released.

The budding actress portrayed Carol Anne Freeling in the horror movies, first taking on the role in 1982's Poltergeist before reprising the role twice more in the films that followed.

Tragically, before the third film could hit theaters, Heather died from a cardiac arrest caused by congenital stenosis of the intestine.

However, since there have been four actors that were tied to the Poltergeist movies who have died, people have suggested that the film was 'cursed'.

As well as Heather, Dominique Dunne, Will Sampson, and Julian Beck died in a reasonably short timeframe.

Child star Heather O'Rourke died aged 12 in 1988 (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

The light of the rumours and theories surrounding Heather's death, her family, friends, and Poltergeist co-stars were asked about how they feel about it all in a new documentary on Prime Video called She Was Here. It marks what would have been Heather's 50th year.

Tammy O'Rourke, Heather's sister, shares in the doc: "One of the biggest things we've come to notice lately is these comments for years on website and stuff where they talked about Heather. Everyone thinks they know better than our mom, or better than us."

She went on to say of the comments about if Heather could have been saved before her passing and the idea that she was 'cursed': "I'm sure it comes from a good place. They have a good heart and they're trying to be nice about it, but it's just so hurtful. So many things, just jabs that they say about her."

Heather's mom, Kathleen, is also interviewed in the programme.

See the trailer here:

Elsewhere, Craig T. Nelson, who portrayed Heather's on-screen dad in the horror films, addressed the so-called 'curse'.

"What curse? I mean, come on," he says in the documentary, per People.

Addressing the fact that he didn't feature in the final movie, Nelson added: "That's part of the reason why I didn't want to do the third one. That's so ridiculous."

Director Gary Sherman also weighed it on it all, stating: "For all of this stuff and the Poltergeist curse and all of this to be heaped upon her memory, that's just not fair and not good."

Poltergeist alumni JoBeth Williams, Zach Galligan, Gary Sherman and Chris Alexander, speak in the documentary too, says Variety.

She Was Here is now streaming on Prime Video in the US.