Drowning Killed Whitney Houston But Drugs Took a High Toll

Drugs took many, many things from Whitney Houston -- her incredible voice, her clean image, her career....and cocaine played a role in her death in the bathtub of a fancy hotel six weeks ago.

Whitney drowned accidentally at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Feb. 11, and autopsy results reveal heart disease and her recent chronic cocaine use were contributing factors.

Coroner's officials have not yet revealed just how much cocaine was found in Whitney's system, but say there were signs of recent and chronic use. It is unclear whether she suffered a heart attack before drowning.

Whitney's sister-in-law and manager Patricia Houston says, "We are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure."

Both cocaine and marijuana were found in Whitney's system after she died, along with several other prescription drugs, but officials say the other drugs played no role in her death.

At 48 years old, Whitney now joins the long list of entertainers who have died early with drugs and or alcohol at least partly to blame, including Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Amy Winehouse.

Cocaine has been known to cause damage to the heart and could have caused Whitney's death, according to doctors who say a likely scenario is that Whitney's cocaine use interfered with the normal function of her heart. One doctor says, "There's no reason to drown in a bathtub unless you're incapacitated."

Whitney's friends and collaborators say they didn't think she was still abusing drugs and described her as being a complete professional on the set of "Sparkle", the upcoming film she stars in.

In 2002, Whitney told Diane Sawyer, "The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy."

In 2009 she told Oprah that her cocaine and marijuana use took over her life. She said, "I had so much money and so much access to what I wanted. I didn't think about the singing part anymore. I was looking for my young womanhood."

(Associated Press)