UPDATE: From Court TV
Source: Anna Nicole Smith's son had more drugs in his system
(Court TV) Anna Nicole Smith's son may have had up to seven different drugs in his system at the time of his death, Court TV has learned.
Daniel Smith, 20, died Sept. 10 in the Bahamian hospital where his mother had given birth four days earlier. Both a private autopsy as well as an autopsy ordered by Bahamas officials had indicated the young man died as a result of a fatal mixture of three prescription drugs.
But Court TV correspondent Michel Bryant has learned from a source connected to the official investigation that there was also evidence of four additional drugs, causing a lethal combination.
Toxicology reports now being reviewed by Bahamian law enforcement showed the drugs to be eight times the lethal dose, although the results of this review have not been released, Bryant's source said.
The 38-year-old former Playmate commissioned a private autopsy from American forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, who found antidepressants Zoloft and Lexapro, as well as methadone. Though methadone is commonly used by recovering drug addicts, it is also prescribed as a pain reliever.
Though authorities connected with the investigation have yet to release the name of the purported additional drugs, Wecht claimed he knew of four other substances in Smith's body. He said he, too, discovered them in his analysis, but said that none of them were "of a potentially lethal nature."
In an interview with Court TV's Catherine Crier, Wecht said Wednesday that the substances in question included Benadryl, an antihistamine sold over the counter; pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter decongestant commonly sold under the brand name Sudafed; and a small amount of Ambien, a prescription sleep medication.
Wecht said there were trace amounts of a fourth substance. He refused to identify the substance, but said it was "nothing horrible no venereal disease or leprosy."
Wecht stood by his earlier findings that the combination of Zoloft, methadone and Lexapro caused Smith to suffer cardiac arrhythmia.
"I have no question at all about the cause of death," he said.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force had previously said its findings mirrored those of the private autopsy.
Wecht has performed analysis in many high-profile cases, such as those of JonBenet Ramsey, Jayson Williams and Amadou Diallo. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in January on charges that he misused his position as medical examiner of Allegheny County, Pa., for private gain. The 84-count indictment alleged he traded unclaimed cadavers for lab space for his private practice. He is awaiting trial.
