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Death of Anna Nicole Smith & Son
Anna Nicole Smith (real name: Vicky Lynn Hogan) was
born on 11/28/1967 in Mexia, Texas. She was a
successful model who gained much attention after
marrying an 89-year old oil tycoon (J. Howard Marshall)
in 1994. She basically became famous for being famous.
Relevant medical history includes her struggle with
obesity, which is an abnormal increase in the amount of
fat cells in the body compared to the amount of other
types of cells. She managed to lose a very significant
amount of weight (i.e., 69 pounds) recently, which she
stated was due to use of diet drinks from a company
known as TrimSpa. The diet drink purports to work by
suppressing appetite, speeding up metabolism, and more.
Each bottle was quite expensive, however, costing
between $34.95 and $49.95 at the time of her death.
Anna Nicole Smith and Son
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Anna Nicole Smith’s 20-year old son, Daniel Smith, died in the Bahamas in 2006 while
visiting his mother in a private Nassau hospital, three days after giving birth to a
daugther. Daniel Smith was the product of her marriage to her 1st husband, Billy Smith,
from 1985-1987. The cause of death caused a media frenzy when the head coroner
(Linda Virgill) labeled the death “suspicious” and called for an investigation that could
lead to criminal charges. A coroner is a public official who investigates the causes and
circumstances of deaths that occur in a specific geographical area, especially those that
may have resulted from natural causes. Virgill was dismissed from the case early on.
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A 2nd autopsy (physical examination of a dead body) of Daniel Smith
was performed by Dr. Cyril Wecht and the cause of death was initially
listed as undetermined, pending further laboratory studies. When
results of those laboratory studies returned, Dr. Wecht concluded Mr.
Smith died accidentally of a lethal combination of two antidepressant
medications (Lexapro & Zoloft) and methadone. Methadone is a pain
medication that is sometimes used to treat people who are addicted
to heroin, morphine, or other pain reducing drugs. It should be noted,
however, that there is no direct information supporting that Mr. Smith
was a drug addict. The combination of methadone with Zoloft and
Lexapro reportedly had a lethal effect on the central nervous system
(brain & spine). Mr. Smith had reportedly been suffering from
depression a few weeks before he came to the Bahamas.
Shortly after her son passed away, Anna Nicole Smith died on 2/8/07 in a hotel room in Hollywood,
Florida, due to a prescription drug overdose. Specifically, she had chloral hydrate in her system, which is
a rarely used sedating medication for treating insomnia or to relax people before minor medical or dental
procedures are performed. Chloral hydrate became increasing harmful in her body when combined with
four other benzodiazepines (a class of sedating medications): Valium (Diazepam), Ativan (Lorazepam),
Klonopin (Clonazepam), and Serax (Oxazepam). These medications, in turn, became even more harmful
when combined with two other medications found in her system: an anticonvulsant (Topamax
[Topirimate]) and an antihistamine (allergy medication): Benadryl [Diphenhydramine].
There were a total of 11 prescription drugs found in her system, none of which were actually prescribed
to her. No illegal drugs were found in her body upon toxicology testing. Other factors that contributed to
Anna Nicole Smith’s death were viral enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine) and abscesses on her
buttocks. The small intestine takes in all of the nutrients (healthy substances) that the body needs. An
abscess is an opening containing pus that is surrounded by inflammation. In her case, the abscesses
were likely caused by injecting human growth hormone and mostly artificial vitamin B12.
Anna Nicole Smith had a closed-casket funeral because her body began decomposing faster than normal.
This may be due to the high number of drugs in her body which altered the chemical makeup, a month-long
wait for burial in warm weather, and/or delayed embalming until a week after her death due to legal
disputes. Embalming is the process of temporarily preserving human remains to delay decomposition of
the body for better physical appearance at a funeral.