Brittany Murphy’s mother has recalled the actor’s final words, as new attention returns to the circumstances of her death in 2009.
Murphy died in December 2009 at 32 inside her Los Angeles home. She was known for roles in Clueless, 8 Mile, and Uptown Girls.
What happened on the day she died?
Around 7:30 AM on December 20, 2009, Murphy complained of abdominal pain and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Her mother, Sharon Murphy, opened the door about 30 minutes later and found her daughter unconscious, according to your source’s account.
First responders arrived at the house and tried to resuscitate her before taking her to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She went into cardiac arrest there and died without regaining consciousness.
Before she lost consciousness, Murphy struggled to breathe, and her lips turned blue, her mother said. Sharon told The Hollywood Reporter about the moment:
“I said, ‘Baby, get up,'” she recalled. “She said, ‘Mommy, I can’t catch my breath. Help me. Help me.'”
Murphy’s husband, Simon Monjack, later described another part of her last words in a February 2010 interview with Larry King, People reported. “She said to her mum, ‘I’m dying,'” he said.
What did the coroner find?
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled Murphy’s death accidental, citing pneumonia, anemia, and multiple drug intoxication. Investigators found no illegal substances.
The investigation found that Murphy had contracted a Staphylococcus aureus infection about six weeks earlier, during a trip to Puerto Rico. She also had heavy, painful periods that caused severe iron-deficiency anemia, and her red blood cell count had dropped to about a quarter of normal levels. That left her immune system deeply compromised and more vulnerable to infections and drug reactions.
According to CNN, the autopsy report said the possible adverse effects of elevated levels of her medications couldn’t be ruled out, especially given her weakened state.
What medications were found?
Toxicology tests found a number of prescription drugs in the actress’s system on the day she died. They included the antidepressant Prozac, the anti-seizure drug Klonopin, the anti-inflammatory methylprednisolone, a beta blocker, hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and Vicoprofen, which was used for menstrual pain.
Assistant Los Angeles Coroner Ed Winter told The Hollywood Reporter that Murphy had been unwell for at least two weeks before she died. “Had they taken her to a doctor or hospital, it would have been treatable,” he said.
What happened to Simon Monjack?
Five months after Murphy’s death, Monjack was found dead in the same house. The coroner found that he died of acute pneumonia and severe anemia, the same illnesses that contributed to his wife’s death.
The actress’ early death was a heartbreaking tragedy for not only her family but millions of fans she had around the world.
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