More details have emerged about Anne Heche’s tragic death in her autopsy report, which confirms she had drugs in her system at the time of her fatal car crash in a blue Mini Cooper. The actress, who was 53 at the time of her passing, had inactive metabolite of cocaine called benzoylecgonine, fentanyl, cannabinoids, and benzodiazepines in her urine per the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner’s report, which Page Six reported on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Notably, fentanyl was given when she was hospitalized for pain incurred after her burns.
The toxicology tested from the hospital admission blood showed the presence of benzoylecgonine, an inactive metabolite of cocaine. Therefore there was no evidence of impairment by illicit substances at the time of the crash.
Although cocaine metabolite was in her system, it was concluded that there was “no evidence of impairment by illicit substances at the time of the crash,” per the coroner. Specifically, that means that she was not high due to illegal substances when she died. Her cause of death was previously reported as being due to a result of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, along with a fracture to her sternum caused by blunt force trauma as a contributing factor.
Due to the latter injury, it was also determined that she would have experienced “painful breathing” after the accident, where she remained in her car for 30 minutes until responders removed her. As a result, she experienced second degree burns on the right side of her face and neck, shoulder, upper chest and more totaling 12% of her body. Her death, which occurred days later at the hospital, was ruled an accident.
Anne is survived by two children: her sons Homer, 20, with ex Coleman Laffoon, and son Atlas, 13, with ex partner and Men In Trees co-star James Tupper. Homer issued a statement on behalf of himself and his younger brother shortly after her death. “My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom. After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness,” he said. “Hopefully my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom…Rest In Peace Mom, I love you,”