Post by Admin on Apr 26, 2021 5:33:23 GMT
Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter visits the small town where her mom grew up: Part 1
Smith died five months after her daughter was born. Dannielynn, now a teenager, traveled with her father “20/20” consultant Larry Birkhead to Mexia, Texas, where they met Smith’s childhood friend.
On the afternoon of February 8, 2007, Smith was found unresponsive in Room 607 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.[77][78] The wife of Smith's bodyguard, who was a trained emergency nurse, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for 15 minutes until the bodyguard took over.[79] He had driven back to the hotel after being notified by his wife of Smith's condition.[79] According to Seminole Police Chief Charlie Tiger, at 1:38 p.m. local time, Smith's bodyguard, who was also a trained paramedic, called the hotel front desk from Smith's sixth-floor room. The employee at the front desk in turn called the hotel security guard, who then called 911. At 1:45 p.m., the bodyguard administered CPR until paramedics arrived. At 2:10 p.m., Smith was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival at 2:49 p.m. An investigation was led by Broward County Medical Examiner and forensic pathologist Joshua Perper in conjunction with Seminole police and several independent forensic pathologists and toxicologists. Perper announced that Smith died of "combined drug intoxication" with the sleeping medication chloral hydrate as the "major component."[80] No illegal drugs were found in her system. The official report states that her death was not considered to be due to homicide, suicide or natural causes.[81] The full investigative report has been made public and can be found online.[82] Additionally, an official copy of the autopsy report was publicly released on March 26, 2007, and can be found online.[83]
Smith's death was ultimately ruled an accidental drug overdose of the sedative chloral hydrate that became increasingly toxic when combined with other prescription drugs in her system, specifically four benzodiazepines: Klonopin (clonazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), Serax (oxazepam) and Valium (diazepam). Furthermore, she had taken Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Topamax (topiramate), both of which block sodium channels, likely intensifying the sedative effects of the chloral hydrate and benzodiazepines.[84] Despite rumors of methadone use due to its involvement in the death of Smith's son, Perper only found methadone in her bile, indicating it was probably ingested 2–3 days prior to her death, and therefore was not a contributing factor.[85] The autopsy report indicates that abscesses on her buttocks, presumably from prior injections of vitamin B12 in the form of cyanocobalamin, as well as human growth hormone, and viral enteritis were contributory causes of death. Tests for influenza A and B were negative.[86]
It was reported that eight of the eleven drugs in Smith's system, including the chloral hydrate, were prescribed to Stern, not Smith. Additionally, two of the prescriptions were written for "Alex Katz" and one was written for Smith's friend and psychiatrist, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich. Perper acknowledged that all of the prescriptions were written by Dr. Eroshevich.[87][88][89]
Smith's funeral took place on March 2, 2007 in The Bahamas.[90]