John Amos' longtime publicist revealed the reason behind the delay in announcing the actor's death, sharing that it was his final wish to prevent his daughter Shannon from turning his passing and interment into a public spectacle.

In an exclusive statement shared with PEOPLE, Belinda Foster said, "I represented John Amos for over 30 years as his publicist of record. 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."

She continued, "Shannon's claims that John was abused are false. 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."

Foster added, "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.

This update follows a statement on Facebook from the “Good Times” star’s "collective family and close friends," including Shannon and goddaughter Amy Goudy, addressing his passing. In the message, they criticized his son, Kelly Christopher "K.C." Amos, for his alleged mistreatment of John during his final days and expressed concerns over K.C.'s failure to inform the family of his father's death, which they found suspicious.

“It is with profound sadness and distress that we must share the circumstances surrounding our father’s passing. 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. Shockingly, we were not notified, nor were any family members informed,” the statement read. “This tragic news has left us in shock and heartache. We do not have a death certificate, nor do we know where or why he died, but we know he was suffering from congestive heart failure and dementia. We fear he was likely cremated to avoid any potential investigation into the conditions surrounding his final days.”

“Over the past year, John Amos was isolated from his family and close friends by Kelly "KC" Amos, Eugene Brummet, and Belinda Foster. Despite our repeated attempts to maintain contact, KC prevented access to him, controlled and monitored his calls,” it continued. “Our father suffered from dementia, and KC often gave John verbal prompts to create a narrative on social media that was not reflective of the truth. 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.” Check out the full statement here.

John passed away on Aug. 21 at the age of 84 due to congestive heart failure, as confirmed by a death certificate obtained by PEOPLE. He died at a hospital in Inglewood, California, with no other significant medical conditions contributing to his death, and no autopsy was performed. His remains were cremated on Aug. 30.