Chris Cornell Cause of Death Latest News: Drugs Had No Part In It, Coroner Reveals
The autopsy and toxicology report for the death of Soundgarden's lead vocalist Chris Cornell has recently been made public. The coroner declared the rock star's death as suicide.
"It is my opinion that death was caused by hanging," Wayne County assistant medical examiner Theodore Brown wrote in his post mortem report. "Based on the circumstances surrounding this death and the autopsy findings, the manner of death is suicide."
According to Brown, drugs did not, in any way, contribute to the death of the singer. The Cornell family was once convinced that the singer's death was caused by a rare side effect of Ativan — having suicidal thoughts. Disease or other injuries also had no part in his passing.
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Cornell was found dead in his hotel room by a security guard last May 18. He was seen partially suspended by a resistance exercise band in the bathroom, the police report indicates. Immediately after the security guard released the band that was hung from the top of the bathroom door, he made resuscitative efforts, but to no avail. Cornell was pronounced dead at the scene.
In his report, Brown reiterated the police's findings, as they were consistent with his own. The injuries sustained by Cornell were indicative of hanging, particularly with the band used by the singer.
Although drugs may not have caused the Soundgarden vocalist's death, seven different drugs were found in his system at that time. One of those was Ativan, which is used to treat anxiety disorders or anxiety linked to depression.
Other drugs that were found were butalbital, lorazepam, pseudoephedrine and metabolite norpseudoephedrine, caffeine, and naloxone. No-Doz tablets were reportedly the source of caffeine in his system. Meanwhile, the norpseudoephedrine was used as a decongestant.
Cornell is survived by his wife of 13 years, Vicky Karayiannis, and two children, Toni and Christopher Nicholas Cornell.
