I got the same problem but with Ed-E, whenever enter or exiting buildings and fast traveling, it just dies no reason at all.
Solution: Do Not use companions. ( it svcks, but at least you don't have to worry about babysitting them or getting in the way when fighting, this happens to me a lot to the point of being more trouble than help, and then to top that they just dissapear (DIE) with whatever items they had stored)
I am okay if they died in battle, or because I forgot about them after using the Wait command, but come on DEAD on a transition screen.