Whitney Houston died of prescription drugs mixed with alcohol: report
Posted February 14, 2012 8:25 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There won’t be any official word on the cause of Whitney Houston’s death until results of a toxicology report are revealed in four to six weeks, but TMZ is reporting that the singer died from a combination of prescription drugs (including Xanax) and alcohol.
The website reported that officials from the Los Angeles County Coroner have told Houston’s family members that the 48-year-old did not drown in her hotel bathtub, as many outlets have speculated.
Instead, TMZ’s sources say officials believe that the I Will Always Love You singer died from a combination of prescription drugs (including Xanax) and alcohol.
Coroner officials reportedly deemed that there was not enough water in Houston’s lungs to support to the conclusion that she drowned, and that she likely died before her head became submerged in the bathtub.
Despite TMZ’s report, however, Los Angeles assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said at a press conference Monday that officials still have not determined what caused Houston’s death.
He did admit that prescription drug bottles were found in the singer’s hotel room, but said there was nothing “alarming” or “out of the ordinary” about them.
Houston is no stranger to drug use: She admitted in a 2002 interview with Diane Sawyer that she had partaken in cocaine, marijuana and pills — and she sought treatment for addiction at a rehab facility as recently as May 2011.
TMZ also claims to have learned more details available about how Houston’s body was found. It has already been reported that Whitney’s 18-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina was in the lobby of the Beverly Hilton hotel when her mother was pronounced dead, but the site says it was Houston’s aunt Mary Jones who found Whitney’s body.
According to TMZ, Jones had laid out a dress for Houston to wear for the evening while Houston bathed. When Houston still hadn’t emerged from the bathroom after half an hour, Jones entered and found her unconscious in the bathtub. She pulled her out and started administering CPR, but to no avail.
At this time, there is still no evidence of foul play. Sources say that Houston’s mom has arranged for her daughter’s body to be flown back to Atlanta as early as Tuesday unless police say otherwise.
In fact, Houston’s body arrived in her home state of New Jersey on Monday night, ahead of a funeral expected later this week.
Brought to you by:
Follow us @ivillagecanada and join the conversation iVillageCanada.