Prominent Hollywood Therapist Killed In Fall From Balcony

Amie Harwick, a prominent therapist and author, died early Saturday morning after falling from the balcony of her Los Angeles home. Police have arrested an ex-boyfriend in connection with her death.

Harwick, 38, writer of “The New Sex Bible For Women,” was found “gravely injured” beneath a third-floor balcony with injuries “consistent with a fall,” police said in a statement. The fire department rushed her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Hours later, an FBI-LAPD task force arrested Gareth Pursehouse, 41, in Playa del Rey, several miles from Harwick’s Hollywood Hills residence. Police said they would ask the district attorney to charge him with murder. Pursehouse, who police said was a former boyfriend, was held on $2 million bail, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Harwick filed a restraining order against Pursehouse that recently expired, police said. She had seen him two weeks ago, according to the police statement, and “had recently expressed fear about a former boyfriend.”

Officers were summoned to Harwick’s home after a call reporting a woman screaming, police said. Her roommate, who had jumped a wall to escape their apartment to get help from a neighbor, flagged down officers and told them Harwick was being attacked inside.

As they prepared to enter the building, officers found Harwick’s body on the ground, police said.

Police noted they found evidence of a struggle and forced entry inside the apartment. Witnesses told detectives they saw a suspect entering the apartment and leaving after Harwick fell, the police statement said.

Harwick was a family and sex therapist who appeared in the 2015 documentary “Addicted To Sexting.” She previously worked as a Playboy model, KTLA wrote. Harwick and “The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey became engaged in early 2018 and broke up less than a year later, Deadline reported.

Carey, 61, said in a statement to HuffPost Monday afternoon that he and Harwick “had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime. She was a positive force in the world, a tireless and unapologetic champion for women, and passionate about her work as a therapist. I am overcome with grief. I would like to thank you in advance for giving myself and everyone who loved Amie privacy while we try to work through this tragic situation.” 

This story has been updated with a statement from Carey.

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.