Coroner's report: Houston was face down in tub

Rick Diamond / WireImage

Whitney Houston died on Feb. 11 in Beverly Hills from accidental drowning.

By Anna Chan

The Los Angeles County Coroner released the final coroner's report for?Whitney Houston on Wednesday. The singer died on?Feb. 11 at the Beverly Hills Hilton, one day before the Grammy Awards. The official cause of death was accidental drowning and "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use."

The 42-page document, obtained by TODAY.com,?gives a detailed description of the scene inside her room at the hotel and details of the investigation.

According to the report, Houston's assistant suggested the star take a bath to prepare for the pre-Grammys activities occurring that evening. The assistant then left to pick up items at Neiman Marcus, and when she returned, she found Houston, 48,?face down and unresponsive in the bathtub. The assistant and a bodyguard pulled the singer out of the tub.

The detective on the scene noted that Houston had "possibly overdosed on a narcotic substance, prescription medications, over the counter medications, and alcohol." Prescription medications?found at the scene included Xanax, amoxicillin, Prednisone and antibiotics. An open bottle of champagne was also in the room.

The coroner's report indicated that there were multiple items on the bathroom counter, including "an ashtray filled with multiple cigarette butts," "a small spoon with a white crystal like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper" and "a bottle of prescription medications." In one of the counter drawers, detectives found "remnants of a white powdery substance, and a portable mirror on the base."

TMZ reported on March 30 that official documents indicated?that the "white powdery substance" was cocaine.?The report released Wednesday?did not identify that substance as cocaine.

Houston's initial autopsy indicated that she had taken cocaine shortly before she died, and coroner spokesman Craig Harvey said in?a March 22 news conference that her body showed signs of "chronic usage."

The final report noted that at the time of her death, Houston had cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Benadryl and? muscle relaxants in her system. The autopsy also indicated her body was "well built, muscular and fairly well nourished."

Houston was laid to rest in a private ceremony on Feb. 19.

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