Smith's death hits home
By INDIRIA SAUNDERS, Guardian Staff Reporter
inderia@nasguard.com
Several months after 39-year-old Anna Nicole Smith's highly publicized move to the nation, the recent Bahamian resident, new mom and media favorite was pronounced dead in a Florida hospital yesterday.
Her shocking death comes just five months after the birth of her daughter, Dannielynn Hope, and her 20-year-old son Daniel Smith's death in a Doctors Hospital room on 10 September, 2006. According to reports from the Seminole Police Department in Florida, at 2.29 pm police responded to a call at the Hollywood Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in reference to a person needing medical assistance.
"The person, later identified as Anna Nicole Smith, was treated by paramedics and transported to the Hollywood Memorial Hospital," said Seminole's Chief of Police, Charlie Tiger. "At 2.49 this afternoon we were advised by Hospital personnel that ANS had died."
Mr Tiger said Ms Smith's death in her hotel room, on the sixth floor of the establishment, was not currently being treated as a suspicious death, however at the time of the 4:30 press conference, the county's crime detection lab was on the scene processing the scene as a precautionary measure, he explained.
Mr Tiger added that Anna Nicole Smith and her companion Howard K. Stern were in Florida from Monday - searching for boat to purchase, some media houses reported yesterday - and according to reports, they were also traveling with at least one private nurse and a body guard.
At the time of her death, Ms Smith's five- month-old baby, whose paternity is under much scrutiny, was not in the room with her, however People.com reported last night that the baby was left in Nassau in the care of the parent of a prominent Bahamian public figure.
The couple was expected to leave the United States today to return to their home in the capital, however Ms Smith's unidentified nurse, who was alone with her In the room at the time, called authorities to the room at 1:38 pm yestreday after Ms Smith reportedly collapsed into an unconscious state.
"The nurse that was in her room at 1:38 pm called the hospital operator and within two minutes the operations personnel within the hotel responded to the room. At 1:45 [pm] all I know is that a body guard administered CPR to her," Mr Tiger explained to members of the press. "[There were] no children in the room."
Mr Tiger said Mr Stern was not in the room with Ms Smith and the nurse when she collapsed. In response to a question as to why Ms Smith was traveling with a private nurse, he said he "didn't know what condition she was in" that would require the extra assistance.
In a phone interview with The Guardian, Ms Smith's Bahamian attorney, Wayne Munroe, said he could not say what condition his client was in on their last meeting as it was attorney client privilege. However, he did say that she was a very likable person.
"The most I can tell you is that she was a pleasant person to have as a client, a friendly personable person, [and she] appeared to be a driven person to me and that's about it," Mr Munroe said.
A preliminary autopsy will reportedly be conducted today in Florida on the body of Ms Smith, however, the cause of her death may not be revealed until the final autopsy results are in.
"The cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner. The Broward County Medical examiner and the Seminole Police Department will continue the investigation into this matter," Mr Tiger said.
At last night's Free National Movement mini rally in the Sea Grapes shopping center, Opposition Leader Hubert Ingraham acknowledged the death of Ms Smith saying: "May God rest her soul".
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