The official verdict on the cause of death of Whitney Houston by the L.A.’s County coroner’s office was made public on Thursday, asserting that the icon singer died from accidental drowning. But there’re some other news.
Other aspects that could have precipitated death were discovered to be heart disease and cocaine indulgence. Besides, the investigation found traces of Xanax, marijuana, Benadryl and other substances in her body.
Nevertheless, as PEOPLE got from Craig Harvey, coroner chief, since there was water in her lungs, Houston was still alive when she went under. The tests showed that the level of cocaine was not lethal, but it can constitute a serious aggravation, as well as her heart condition.
According to coroner assistant chief Ed Winter, Houston’s death may have occurred in two possible turns of events. Outlining the scenarios to PEOPLE, Winter said she may have been rendered unconscious either via cocaine intoxication or because of heart attack. Having lost her consciousness, she went underwater and was drowned.
When the singer was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel she was submerged. Death occurred on February 11, on the eve of the Grammy Awards. Some prescription pills were found in her room by coroner officials, but they stated that there was no “alarming amounts” of those.
A long-suffering prey to drugs, the fabulous singer was interred 8 days later at the Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, N.J., at her father’s side, after a much-attended memorial.
