Anne Heche 'not expected to survive' after severe brain injury

Anne Heche is 'not expected to survive' after suffering a severe brain injury, her family has confirmed.

The news arrives after the 53-year-old actor was in a coma following a car crash in Los Angeles on 5 August.

A representative for Heche's family told Deadline that they will be kept on life support to determine if her organs are viable for donation, per her wishes.

They said in a statement: "We want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers for Anne's recovery and thank the dedicated staff and wonderful nurses that cared for Anne at the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills hospital.

"Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition. She is not expected to survive.

"It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable.

"Anne had a huge heart and touched everyone she met with her generous spirit. More than her extraordinary talent, she saw spreading kindness and joy as her life’s work – especially moving the needle for acceptance of who you love.

"She will be remembered for her courageous honesty and dearly missed for her light."

The rep previously confirmed that the actor had not regained consciousness after suffering a 'significant pulmonary injury' that required mechanical ventilation and 'burns that require surgical intervention'.

Heche's car had crashed into a house, with authorities believing her vehicle potentially hit a kerb and was launched two feet off the ground.

A neighbour of the person whose house Heche hit, Lynne Mishele, claimed her car went ‘almost all the way through’ the house and ‘almost immediately’ caught fire.

The Los Angeles Fire Department told People the accident caused 'structural compromise' to the property.

Another eyewitness said to NBCLA that there was 'tonnes of smoke' at the house, adding: "I think they used the crane to move the car to extract the driver. It was crazy."

Authorities were initially investigating Heche for the misdemeanour charge of DUI and hit and run, but LAPD Officer Jeff Lee has since confirmed this has been upgraded to a felony.

Speaking to CNN, he said: "Her blood showed signs of impairment and that is why it is now being investigated as a felony traffic collision."

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help Mishele rebuild her life, claiming she lost everything except for a 'few damaged sentimental belongings'.

Heche is known for her roles in films including Psycho, Six Days, Seven Nights, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Donnie Brasco and Cedar Rapids as well as TV roles in medical drama Nip/Tuck.

She is also known for her role on the soap opera Another World, for which she won a Daytime Emmy in 1991.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.