Porn star August Ames, 23, found dead in California

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Adult movie star August Ames, 23, found dead after being accused of homophobia for refusing to do a scene with an actor who had appeared in gay porn
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Adult film actress August Ames was found dead in southern California
The Ventura County Medical examiner confirmed the 23-year-old's death, but had yet to issue an official cause
Those close to Ames said she suffered from depression and may have taken her own life
Ames recently suffered a torrent of online abuse after posting on Twitter that she would not be doing a scene with a male performer who had done gay porn

By Daniel Roth For Dailymail.com

Published: 19:38 EST, 6 December 2017 | Updated: 21:14 EST, 6 December 2017

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Adult film actress August Ames (pictured) was found dead on Tuesday, according to police in southern California .

Adult film actress August Ames was found dead on Tuesday, according to police in southern California.

The Ventura County Medical examiner confirmed the 23-year-old's death, but had yet to issue an official cause.

Those close to Ames, however, believe that she had taken her own life, telling online publication The Blast that she was prone to depression.

A recent online incident may have triggered the suspected suicide, sources close to the Ames said.

Ames recently suffered a torrent of online abuse after posting on Twitter that she would not be doing a scene with a male performer who had previously done gay porn.

On December 3, Ames posted a message reading: 'whichever (lady) performer is replacing me tomorrow for @EroticaXNews, you're shooting with a guy who has shot gay porn, just to let cha know. BS is all I can say. Do agents really not care about who they're representing? #LAdirect I do my homework for my body.'

The Ventura County Medical examiner confirmed the 23-year-old's death, but had yet to issue an official cause

Adult film actress August Ames (L) and husband, adult film producer Kevin Moore, attend the 2016 Adult Video News Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on January 23, 2016

Ames claimed that medical testing was different for straight vs gay sex scenes, and did not want to participate.

Some male performers in the adult film industry do both gay and straight scenes for extra money, a practice known as 'crossing over.' According to the Daily Beast, the practice is relatively common and fairly taboo.

A majority of female performers are apprehensive about doing scenes with male co-stars who have a history of gay pornography in their resume, believing it exposes them to higher risk of contracting HIV.

Camarillo police said that Ames was pronounced dead at the scene, noting there had been no indication of foul play

Following the post, Ames was accused of being homophobic, as social media users clamored for her to issue an apology.

'NOT homophobic,' she said in response to the accusations. 'Most girls don't shoot with guys who have shot gay porn, for safety. That's just how it is with me. I'm not putting my body at risk, i don't know what they do in their private lives.'

Camarillo police said that Ames was pronounced dead at the scene, noting there had been no indication of foul play. Police did not give a specific location on where the 23-year-old had died.

'She was the kindest person I ever knew and she meant the world to me,' her heartbroken husband, Kevin Moore, told industry trade magazine Adult Video News.

'Please leave this as a private family matter in this difficult time,' he added.

Shortly after her death had been confirmed, an outpouring of condolence from friends and industry peers filled up Ames's Twitter page, many describing her as a kind person with a big heart.

'Rest In Peace to August Ames, one of the best, nicest people I ever knew in the business,' producer Jules Jordan wrote in a tweet.

Fellow porn star Abella Danger described Ames as 'the most kind-hearted person ever.'

'I f*****g loved this girl so much... I am so sorry that I didn't know it was this bad ... we are all so broken hearted, you were truly loved by so many,' industry photographer and friend Holly Randall said.

Born Mercedes Grabowski in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1994, Ames had found her way to the adult-film industry in 2013 following short stint in the food service industry as a bartender.

In her brief four-year-career, Ames starred in more than 270 films and nabbed a nomination for Best New Starlet at the 2015 AVN Awards.

According to The Atlantic, depression appears to be a prevalent feature among many starlets, caused by past psychological trauma, abuse or other factors that decrease their quality of life.