Legal Drugs may have killed Daniel Smith

For the first time, an official in the death of Anna Nicole Smith's son has gone on the record, stating that drugs may have killed Daniel Smith.

Daniel Smith, 20, was found dead on a chair while visiting his mother in a
hospital situated on the Caribbean island, Bahamas.
last week, three days after she
gave birth to his baby sister.

Dr. Cyril Wecht, a pathologist and former coroner who was hired by Anna Nicole and signed Daniel's death certificate says drugs may have killed Daniel Smith. reports TMZ.

Wecht - who has previously worked on investigations into the deaths of Elvis
Presley and John F. Kennedy - ruled out a number of potential natural
causes, including heart disease, cancer, systemic infection or a pulmonary
embolism.
Wecht also concurred with medical experts who carried out the initial
autopsy last week that foul play was not suspected.
He said: "I find nothing to suggest to me any kind of foul play.
"I think that we have a tragic death of a young man and ultimately the cause
is going to be determined."

"It could be a drug-related death of an accidental nature." Dr. Wecht, however, disagrees with the Coroner of the Bahamas who claims the cause of death has been established to a certainty.

An official connected with the investigation, also spilling to TMZ , says that the drugs in question "were prescription, not illegal." The source added that Daniel had "a combination" of anti-depressants and other prescriptions in his system

Dr. Wecht says he and another pathologist, Dr. Golinda Raju, both have determined that Daniel's cause of death is unknown, pending the final toxicology report. In sharp contrast, Coroner Linda Virgill tells TMZ, "I stand firm that the cause of death is known."

Dr. Wecht went after Virgill, telling TMZ, "Do you want to believe the two pathologists or a non-physician. I don't know what she's talking about." He reiterated, "I'm telling you I don't know the cause of death. I don't know." Dr. Wecht, who was clearly upset over Virgill's comments, peppered his comments to TMZ with expletives.

Virgill would not reveal the specific cause of death, though she insists it was firmly established last week. She did, however, tell TMZ, "The toxicology report is very important here."

Anna Nicole's attorney, Michael Scott, who accompanied Wecht to the autopsy,
said: "Anna Nicole is doing well, she is getting better and wants everyone
to stop jumping to conclusions."

A jury inquest is scheduled for October 23.

By Fabien Montique posted time [ 2:38 PM] (1)