Heath Ledger's death ruled accidental overdose
Toxicology reports show that the actor died after combining various prescription drugs including oxycodone, officials say.
NEW YORK -- Heath Ledger died of an accidental "abuse of prescription medications," the New York City Medical Examiner's Office said today in releasing the results of toxicology tests performed on tissue taken from the actor's body two weeks ago.
Some type of overdose had been the expected cause of death since a masseuse found the 28-year-old Australian star's unconscious body in his Soho loft Jan. 22, with sleeping pills near his bed and other prescription drugs around the 4,000-square-foot apartment. The lab tests were conducted after an autopsy the next day proved inconclusive.
"Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine," the medical examiner's spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, said in a written statement.
"We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications."
The list of generic names refer to drugs more commonly known as the painkillers OxyContin and Vicodin, the anti-anxiety medications Valium and Xanax, and the sleeping pill, Restoril, while Unisom is an antihistamine commonly used as a sleeping aid.
New York police reported at the time of his death that Ledger was found to be unresponsive after he failed to answer knocks on his door and cellphone calls from the masseuse, Diana Wolozin. A police spokesman said that though the sleeping pills and other prescription drugs were found at the scene, there was no sign of foul play and Ledger left no note.
He had rented the luxury loft following his split last September from actress Michelle Williams, with whom he had lived in Brooklyn along with their infant daughter.
Though a call to 911 was delayed while the panicked masseuse tried to revive Ledger herself and used the actor's phone to call actress Mary-Kate Olsen in California, authorities have said they do not believe he could have been saved had an emergency crew immediately appeared.
Almost immediately after the release of the medical examiner's findings today, Ledger's father, Kim, issued an emotional statement urging others to use prescription drugs with caution, and appealing again for privacy for the actor's family.
