LA coroner rules on Anne Heche death

Actor Anne Heche died from “smoke inhalation and thermal injuries,” a coroner has ruled.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner cited a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma” as another “significant condition” contributing to her passing.

Her death was officially ruled an accident.

Heche sustained the injuries when her car jumped a curb and careened into a house last week, whereupon it burst into flames. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

After Heche was pronounced brain dead, her family on Thursday made the difficult decision to take her off life support after any viable organs could be donated.

Her heart stopped beating on Sunday evening.

The coroner’s office listed her date of death as August 11, the day she was declared brain dead. It was unclear exactly what organ or organs were donated.

The test results also showed Heche was not under the influence of alcohol. On Sunday officials announced the investigation had been closed.

“As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. “Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case. When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”

Source: Deadline