Coroner: Houston's accidental death brought on by cocaine and heart disease
- 12 years ago
Singer Whitney Houston died of accidental drowning due to the effects of cocaine use and heart disease, a Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman said on Thursday (March 22).
Houston, 48, was found dead in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel room on Feb. 12, the night before the Grammy Awards.
An autopsy into Houston's death found that the cause of death was accidental drowning due to the effects of heart disease and cocaine use, Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey.
SOUNDBITE Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey, saying (English):
"The Department of Coroner has concluded its investigation into the death of Miss Whitney Houston. The final cause of death has been established as drowning due to artherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. Other drugs were identified during the toxicology process. Those drugs were all at the therapeutic or sub-therapeutic level. They're not considered to be related to the actual cause of death. Cocaine use indicated an acute use and it appeared that the cocaine had been used in the time period just probably immediately prior to her collapse in the bathtub at the hotel."
No trauma or foul play were suspected in the entertainer's death, the coroner's office said.
Houston, known for a number of hit songs including "I Will Always Love You," had long battled addictions to drugs, including cocaine.
John Russell, Reuters.
Houston, 48, was found dead in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel room on Feb. 12, the night before the Grammy Awards.
An autopsy into Houston's death found that the cause of death was accidental drowning due to the effects of heart disease and cocaine use, Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey.
SOUNDBITE Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey, saying (English):
"The Department of Coroner has concluded its investigation into the death of Miss Whitney Houston. The final cause of death has been established as drowning due to artherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. Other drugs were identified during the toxicology process. Those drugs were all at the therapeutic or sub-therapeutic level. They're not considered to be related to the actual cause of death. Cocaine use indicated an acute use and it appeared that the cocaine had been used in the time period just probably immediately prior to her collapse in the bathtub at the hotel."
No trauma or foul play were suspected in the entertainer's death, the coroner's office said.
Houston, known for a number of hit songs including "I Will Always Love You," had long battled addictions to drugs, including cocaine.
John Russell, Reuters.