The final coroner's report on Whitney Houston, who was found face-down in her Beverly Hilton hotel room bathtub the day before the Grammys, reinforced the role of substance abuse in the pop star's demise and provided a multitude of details surrounding her death.
There were a "plethora of prescription medication bottles" in the room, according the Los Angeles County Coroner's final report, released Wednesday.
Complete Coverage: Whitney Houston 1963-2012
Investigators found 12 prescription bottles from five different physicians.
A counter in the hotel room's bathroom held: a small spoon containing "a white crystal-like substance;" a small, ripped-open plastic bag; a "rolled-up piece of white paper;" and bottles of prescription drugs.
A drawer below the counter showed "remnants of a white powdery substance" and a portable mirror with more powder on its base.
The report does not identify the substance as cocaine, but it does mention that the drug was found in her system during toxicology tests.
An open bottle of champagne was on top of the hotel room's mini-bar, and an open beer can and a case of beer were elsewhere. Loose tablets, prescription drug bottles and blister packs were found in multiple locations in the hotel room, according to the report.
The report notes that Houston, 48, has “perforation of posterior nasal septum,” a condition commonly seen among long-term cocaine users in which there is a hole in the membrane between the nostrils. The report notes the condition on Houston’s anatomical summary under “history of substance abuse."
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The report mentions that Houston's assistant was the last person to see her alive, between 2:45 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Feb. 11.
The assistant said she told Houston to take a bath and start getting ready for a pre-Grammy event. After picking up a few items at Neiman Marcus, Houston's assistant returned at 3:36 p.m. to find the singer face-down in the tub.
"She called out to the bodyguard and they pulled [Houston] out of the bathtub. The assistant then called downstairs, telling them to call 911," according to the report.
At 3:46 p.m., paramedics determined death.
The floor of the bathroom, where Houston's body was found, was still covered with water when the coroner's investigators got to the room later that night. The report notes that six hours after the singer's death, the bathwater was still "extremely hot," measuring 93.5 degrees.
The report confirms that "death was due to drowning due to effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use," details included in the previous report released late last month.
Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said an investigation is still open and he could not comment on the findings.
