Anne Heche‘s autopsy and toxicology report has been released, and medical examiners now know more about what happened in her shocking final moments.
Of course, as we’ve reported, the film star was involved in a fiery car crash in west Los Angeles back in early August. She was pulled from the mangled wreckage and rushed to a hospital. But she passed away less than a week later after being pronounced brain dead.
On Tuesday, her final autopsy was released. TMZ was first to report on the findings. Medical examiners also supplied a full toxicology report with detailed information as to what Heche had in her system at the time of the August accident.
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According to the outlet, medical examiners detected the presence of cocaine in Heche’s blood. The sample was pulled from the Hollywood star in the hours after she crashed into the home in west LA, although the coroner says there was no evidence of the actress being actively “impaired” at the time of the crash.
The toxicology report also found fentanyl in Heche’s urine sample. However, as the news org notes, autopsy documents indicate Heche was given this fentanyl for pain when she was in the hospital prior to her death. Thus, that is why the drug popped up in the toxicology report.
According to The Blast, in addition to cocaine and the medically-administered fentanyl, cannabinoids were also detected in Heche’s urine sample. However, the drug was not present in her bloodstream. Per that outlet, this suggests Heche used cannabis “consistently” near the end of her life, but not imminently before the fatal accident.
Also, there was no alcohol found in Heche’s system. As we’ve reported, video footage from witnesses appeared to show some kind of glass bottle in the front seat of the Six Days Seven Nights star’s car moments before the crash. Other eyewitnesses reported seeing her driving erratically through the streets of Los Angeles not long before she crashed. However, medical examiners did not detect the presence of alcohol in the star’s blood or urine.
As for Heche’s cause of death, it is sadly as to be expected. Per Yahoo! News, Heche died from “inhalation and thermal injuries” along with a “sternal fracture due to blunt force trauma” which were caused by the car accident and subsequent house fire. Per that outlet, the autopsy documents also indicated Heche had severe burns on 12% of her body when she died. She had been receiving intensive care unit treatment for those second-degree burns in the days leading up to her death, as well.
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The coroner had already officially ruled her death accidental. The date of her death was noted as August 11. That’s the day she was officially pronounced brain dead after a CT scan of her brain showed “diffuse hypoxic injury with evidence of herniation.” It came six days after the fateful accident occurred.
Months later, this is still such a sad situation — both for Heche’s loved ones and the woman who was nearly killed and then forced out of her home due to the accident and ensuing fire.
[Image via Fox/YouTube/MEGA/WENN]
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