John Amos’ Final Wish Was a Delay in Death Announcement to Avoid Daughter Turning It ‘into a Circus,’ Says Rep (Exclusive)

John Amos’ family members and close friends are speaking out about the circumstances behind his death at 84.

On Oct. 2, the late actor’s “collective family and close friends,” including his daughter Shannon Amos and goddaughter Amy Goudy, issued a statement on Facebook about his death and called out his son Kelly Christopher “K.C.” Amos for his alleged treatment of his father in his final days. They also claimed K.C. failed to notify the rest of the family about John’s death, which they felt was suspicious.

Shortly after the message made headlines, Belinda Foster, John’s longtime publicist, who was also named in Goudy’s statement, refuted those claims in an exclusive statement shared with PEOPLE.

“I represented John Amos for over 30 years as his publicist of record,” Foster said. “The media knows this along with John’s agencies of record. Over the years we grew close to one another to the point of a familial relationship. In the last few years, he often referred to me as his ‘daughter.’ This was not a fraud by John, K.C., or myself. He was like a father to me. I deeply mourn his passing.”

“Shannon’s claims that John was abused are false,” Foster continued. “K.C., Eugene and I, along with numerous others cared for him. On several occasions when Shannon claimed that he was abused, law enforcement authorities sat with John and confirmed his well being.”

In the statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday by John’s goddaughter Amy Goudy on behalf of herself, Shannon and others with a connection to the actor, they said they viewed “the circumstances surrounding our father’s passing” with “profound sadness and distress.”

“He was a loving man who brought light into the lives of many. However, our family only learned of his death today through media reports, only to discover he actually passed away 45 days ago,” the statement alleged. They also claimed that they were “not notified” and the tragic news of his death has left them “in shock and heartache.”

Without a death certificate in their possession, they claimed they didn’t know “where or why he died” but were aware he was “suffering from congestive heart failure and dementia.” They said they “fear he was likely cremated to avoid any potential investigation into the conditions surrounding his final days.”

Also in Goudy’s statement, they alleged that K.C., Eugene Brummet and Foster “isolated the actor from his loved ones despite their repeated attempts to maintain contact.” They further claimed that K.C. “prevented access to him, controlled and monitored his calls” as well as severed ties with family including Shannon, his brother Leslie Franklin, his accountant, business manager and more.

“K.C. portrayed an image of a close father-son relationship on social media, but the reality was far more complex,” they continued, alleging that K.C. gave him verbal prompts to create a false “narrative” on social media. “We were deeply concerned that our father may have been neglected and isolated during his final days as we received photos from concerned neighbors and a medical professional.”

In Foster’s statement, she addressed the claims that K.C. failed to notify the family about his death, saying, “At the time of John’s passing, K.C. was under a strict no-contact order from the Superior Court of New Jersey based on the Complaint that his sister Shannon brought against him in 2023.”

“As a condition of his Pretrial Release, K.C. is precluded from making any contact with Shannon directly or indirectly by phone, social media, or any method of communication,” she explained. “At the time of his death, John was concerned that Shannon might turn his death and interment into a circus as she had done with other aspects of his life.”

“It was John who requested the delay in announcing his death to Shannon and the rest of the world,” Foster added.

Goudy cited the 2023 investigation into John’s care that was prompted when Shannon alleged he was a “victim of elder abuse.” At the time, Shannon filed a complaint with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and created a GoFundMe page for “care expenses,” which she later removed at his request. (John later spoke out to PEOPLE, calling the claims of elder abuse “false and unmerited.”) 

Goudy’s statement claimed the 2023 investigation was triggered by a photo they discovered, claiming the circumstances of John’s death “mirrors” Shannon and K.C.’s mother’s death. They claimed Shannon “fought to be by her mother’s side” after K.C. prevented family from being “present and making decisions together.”

“The family also questions why no medical professionals, coroner, or authorities informed us of his passing, and why K.C. did not notify any family member directly,” their statement continued. “We believe there are critical questions that need answers, especially since we believe K.C. likely made the decision to have John Amos cremated without the family’s knowledge.”

Goudy’s statement indicated that they suspect that K.C.’s actions were taken to “alter potential wills and collect life insurance or other benefits” while alleging his previous struggles with addiction, mental health issues and a previous arrest record.

“While we mourn the loss of our beloved father, we are also saddened and outraged by K.C. Amos’s actions,” they continued. “We refuse to rule out the possibility of foul play, especially given the involvement of two individuals, Eugene Brummer and Belinda Foster (who claims to have been John’s spokesperson), who we believe may have taken advantage of his vulnerability as an elder.”

“At a time when we should be grieving and celebrating our father’s remarkable life, we find ourselves in the unfortunate position of seeking justice and clarity,” the statement concluded.

In Foster’s statement, she said while she plans on continuing to “represent my clients with enthusiasm and skill” as a “professional publicist,” she feels “sorry that Shannon has chosen this path, but consistent with John’s approach, I will respond to her with firmness but compassion.”

“John loved Shannon but she was a difficult child to the point that John had to order that an unauthorized ‘GoFundMe’ page that she put up in June 2023 be shut down,” she said. “For those concerned with John’s state of mind, I should note that John had interviews with PEOPLE Magazine, Variety Magazine, Hollywood Reporter, and acted in SUITS LA all recently in 2024. Medical authorities have interviewed him in the last year and found him to be mentally sound.”

Foster concluded, “For the sake of preserving John’s well-earned reputation as a superb actor and a community activist, we hope we can put to rest these nonsensical claims that Shannon is offering out of her own pain as a result of estrangement from her father.”

PEOPLE has reached out to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department, who said there “are no updates or statements” in regards to reopening John’s elder abuse case at this time.