Coroner: Whitney Houston Died from Accidental Drowning
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Kevin Mazur/WireImage(LOS ANGELES) — The cause of Whitney Houston’s has been revealed. The L.A. coroner’s office confirms to ABC News that the superstar singer died last month of accidental drowning.
Ed Winter, spokesman for the Los Angeles cororner’s office, told ABC News that the singer’s cause of death was drowning aggravated by a pre-existing heart condition called atherosclerotic heart disease.
Cocaine was also found in Houston’s system, but the coroner’s office refused to comment on how much of the drug was found during the toxicology testing. But in the official report under the category “HOW INJURY OCCURRED” it is noted that the singer was “found submerged in bathtub filled with water; cocaine intake.”
The report stated that along with cocaine, metabolites were identified in Houston’s system and were contributory to her death. Marijuana, Xanax, flexeril (muscle relaxant) and diphenhydramine (benadryl) were also found, but were not found to have contributed to her death.
No trauma or foul play is suspected. It is anticipated that the final Coroner report will be available for release within two weeks.
Houston’s family immediately reacted to the news. “We are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure,” said Patricia Houston, Whitney’s business manager and sister-in-law.
The singer was found underwater in a bathtub at the Beverly Hills Hilton on Feb. 11, and pronounced dead at the scene. She was buried Feb. 19 in Westfield, N.J.
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