Smith Autopsy Results: Accidental Overdose

Fox News | 3/26/07

[Texas Songwriter]

I must say that I am speculating. She was reported as having 105 temp and pneumonia initially. If these findings are correct it seems likely that it contributed to her morbidity. The list of drugs which she was taking was a recipe for an overdose and I cannot say that she did not die of apnea secondary to respiratory depression secondary to narcotic overdose.

But the septic component would exaccerbate any physiologic insult which she might have suffered. But please remember that these are questions about which I am speculating.

I have seen these set of clinical presentations many times in the past, as they are fairly common among drug users.

The Stern element throws another kink in the catheter. He does seem seedy and an opportunist and his role must have been considered by the authorities.

[pollyannaish]

I am sure a doctor has examined the baby. Since I really believe very little of what I see from the press, it is probably not as bad as it seems. Not as good as it could be...but not as sensational as they make it.

they just don't care as long as they stay on the gravy train in some form

I think that pretty much nails the entire situation from the Marshall family to ANS on down.

[BigSkyFreeper]

She didn't die of sepsis. She died of an overdose of chloro hydrate (which is a sedative).

[WasDougsLamb]

"Somebody had to prescribe them"

Thats what I want to know. Who in the heck was prescribing all of this for her? Now a days you have to ask and sign for certain cold medicines which were being misused, that a few years ago you could buy off the shelf. So how was SHE getting all of these drugs and from whom? The doctor(s) should be investigated on each bottle of medicine she had.

[Texas Songwriter]

One dies of the complications of overdose of Chloral hydrate. The combination of Chloral hydrate plus other drugs causes central nervous system depression, respiratory depression, then hypoxia, then anoxia, then the death spiral due to hypoperfusion (commonly known as shock), then death. So the sequelae of overdosing on a central nervous system depressant is the proximate cause of the person dying.

Now, that said, I said repeatedly that her sepsis was something to examine. They had reported she had 105 temp and pneumonia. My experience is that very few 19 year old men go to a hospital to visit their mother and sit there and die, followed by a 39 year old female in good nutritional repair die suddenly, with the same 'handler' hanging around. Young people don't usually just sit around and die. Yes, drug overdoses kill all of the time, but the surrounding swirling singular element seems to go to Stern.

It will get interesting.