Ledger's Toxicology Results: Died From Acute Intoxication, Abuse Of Prescription Medications, Death Accidental

The NYC medical examiner finished Heath Ledger's toxicology report 15 days after he was found dead in his New York apartment. They ruled Ledger's death was caused by "acute intoxication" and abuse of prescription medications.

In a statement Ellen Borakave, spokesperson for Office of Chief Medical Examiner, confirms:

"Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine. We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications."

The Feds says they will probe how Ledger obtained his many prescriptions:

"We are working with the NYPD to identify any illegally prescribed drugs that may have been prescribed to [Ledger]," Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Erin Mulvey tells PEOPLE, confirming news first reported by TVGuide.com on Wednesday.

TMZ reports :

The NYPD found five different medications in Ledger's apartment after his death, including anti-anxiety medications Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). The sleeping medication Zopiclone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam (Restoril) -- which is used by people with "debilitating insomnia" -- were also found.

The autopsy two weeks ago was inconclusive.

Ledger's family has released a statement on the findings:

We remain humble as parents and a family, among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child. Few can understand the hollow, wrenching, and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them. Today's results put an end to speculation, but our son's beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts.

While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage.

Our family enjoyed an extremely happy two week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year. Those recent precious days will stay with us forever. We as a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film. To most of the world Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise. To those who knew him personally, Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography, music, chess and directing. We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend.

We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda (to our dear Michelle) as well as an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends, forever, around the world. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet. This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful.

At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately, without the intrusions associated with press and photography.

Former fiancee Michelle Williams arrived in Perth with their daughter Matilda earlier today for Ledger's burial this weekend. His family returned home earlier this week.

Comments

[sickofthis]

This sounds like a lot of drugs, and really it is, but I work in medical records and see patient records where the drug lists can number in the 30s. They are legitimately prescribed by doctors who have the information in the chart. Some drugs are given to combat the effects of other drugs, believe it or not. He should have stuck with the recreational, though even that sounds judgmental, and I don't mean it to be. Poor Heath, we miss you so.

[JonathanTroy]

Heath Ledger died?

That sucks.

Let's move on.

[PhillyQuaker]

Dear Heath,

You seemed like a sweet man and you definitely were a very serious, capable and very very watchable actor.

I am sorry you left this Earth way too soon.

Your fan,

[bmermaid]

Let this be a lesson to all of us. Just like Marilyn Monroe, John Belushi and may more great talents. Dead is dead. No do-overs. Drugs kill. It's not worth it! Clean & sober is the way to go. If you think life is no fun if you're not drinking or drugging, you're not doing it right.

[jadez]

wake up people. this guy was a drug addict.he just was able because of who he was to get them from doctors.

Proof is simple. NO ONE doctor would have given him all those drugs. So he lied to get more and more drugs.
he died because he took to many drugs.
It might have been accidental but lots of drug addicts die that way.Overdo­se.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

Samples are not a bad thing, known in the trade as free goods, which pharma companies hate to give out, because they are free and compassionate doctors often give them to patients who often can’t afford the drugs without insurance. Samples can also be used to try a drug on a limited bases to see if it works without writing a 30-day script. What often happens with ant-depressants the patient will complain that it’s not working and the doctor will write something else, now the patient can have up to 2 maybe 3 versions of the same medication with refills. This looks like the case here, Ledger being a celebrity and wealthy is also very mobile, how many doctors did he see? In theory he could have had a doctor in NYC, Hollywood, even Australia depending on how often he visited his family. Samples were not the issue here, Ledger needed to seek professional help beyond taking a pill.

[Rockwell]

Tom Cruise is getting a major woody right now. Now he can trot out Heath as his Scientology poster-boy against medical treatment.

Doesn't matter that millions, like myself, gain a huge improvement in quality of life using some of these treatments. Tom will argue that holding two big hard rods in your hands (Freud anyone?) and getting Audited will cure all things.

[ClaudiaJean]

Official comment from the father of Heath Ledger. It shows more heart and more intelligence than anything posted on HuffPo to date, including those sanctioned by the site to offer commentary and blogs...

We remain humble as parents and a family, among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child. Few can understand the hollow, wrenching, and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them. Today's results put an end to speculation, but our son's beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts.

While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage.

Our family enjoyed an extremely happy two week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year. Those recent precious days will stay with us forever. We as a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film. To most of the world Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise. To those who knew him personally, Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography, music, chess and directing. We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend.

We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda (to our dear Michelle) as well as an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends, forever, around the world. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet. This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful.

At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately, without the intrusions associated with press and photography.

[Ginzaman]

If the MSM is going to run this to death, then couldn't they at least have something intelligent to say when they do? For all the "news editors" out there that think they know what's best for the public to watch, what if this was YOUR son, brother, ex-fiancee, etc? How would YOU feel if the whole world only cared about making all the money they could off them?

[aristippe]

What kind of doctor would prescribe all of that to an actor(a person likely to be emotional high-strung)?

[authorityends]

drugs are bad mmmkay?...

[Chandidevi]

People need to be better-informed about the affects of prescription medications. Heath Ledger's life and death is cautionary tale. May he rest in peace. There are many alternative, natural ways to deal with anxiety including exercise, meditation, and proper diet. It takes work and commitment to one's well-being. But, for some, it is easier to pop a pill. This is very, very tragic and a warning to America's pill-popping culture.

[Whitehouse]

Somehow, this isn't a surprise.

[RedWhiteandBlueState]

May this passing serve as a reminder that fame, fortune and celebrity do not mean happiness and that these people we elevate to iconic status are brilliant, fragile, three dimensional and flawed human beings just like you and I. Rest in Peace.

[Hitsong]

This is no surprise. These are the exact drugs my ex died from three years ago. I could have written: Percocet, Vicodin, Valium, Ativan, Restoril - I'm surprised I didn't see Xanax or Methadone on this list. My heart goes out to the Ledger family and friends of Heath who will have to deal with this tragedy for the rest of their lives. Heath was a drug addict who obviously couldn't get sober. These are the sad results. These are usually the sad results a drug addict suffers if they are using with the ferocity Ledger was. I hope this will deter future deaths, but will drug addiction, unfortunately, there are NO deterrents.