WebProNews

Tag: overdose

  • Michelle Rounds Comforted by Rosie O’Donnell Following Suicide Attempt

    Michelle Rounds reportedly tried to take her life earlier this week by overdosing on prescription pills. Estranged wife Rosie O’Donnell may have saved her life.

    People magazine reports that O’Donnell somehow learned that Michelle Rounds was in distress. She reached her on the phone, and learned she had taken an overdose. Rosie got someone else to call 911 and then kept Rounds on the phone under paramedics arrived.

    Michelle Rounds was taken to a hospital in Nyack, New York. Rosie O’Donnell provided comfort to her following the overdose.

    It was back in February that Rosie O’Donnell filed for divorce from Michelle Rounds. Rounds has been seeking custody of the two-year-old daughter she and O’Donnell adopted together.

    Entertainment Tonight reports that Michelle Rounds was treated for “a reaction to medication she was taking both for stress and for her condition [of desmoid tumors].” A source tells them there was no suicide attempt.

    Rosie O’Donnell retweeted a post earlier this week. It’s unknown if it was directed toward or in reference to the situation with Michelle Rounds.

    Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds married in June of 2012. They split up in November of 2014.

  • Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Hometown Fans Remember Him A Year After His Death

    It’s been a year since actor Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away after overdosing from a cocktail of drugs and fans are still mourning the loss of a talented character actor.

    Hoffman’s hometown in Fairport, New York remembers the actor as a happy kid who was “really living and burning brightly and having fun.” Hoffman’s teachers in Fairport High School remember the actor as a curious student. When Hoffman starred in P.T. Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love back in 2002, the entire theater erupted to a rousing applause when their hometown actor appeared on the big screen.

    All over the world, fans are remembering the great actor who starred in films like Capote, The Hunger Games, Boogie Nights, and The Master. Caleb Slain, a fan of the actor spent almost 200 hours to produce an emotional tribute video that features some of Hoffman’s best work. From the actor’s bit part on Law and Order to his defining roles in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead and Charlie Wilson’s War, Slain wanted to show the dedication of the late actor to his craft. “Please take a breather and raise your glasses to one of our finest,” Slain wrote to describe the video.

    Meanwhile, in an opinion piece on The Huffington Post, Johann Hari, author of the book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs used Hoffman’s death as an example to drive his point about the war on drugs. Hari argues that Hoffman could have been spared if drugs were decriminalized. He cited Portugal as an example; the country decriminalized all drugs and used the budget for busting users to provide help for recovering addicts. This act resulted in a decrease in drug activity and a huge dip in the number of deaths related to overdose.

    “Today, one hundred years into the drug war, we have a decision to make,” Hari wrote. “We can wait for the next death, and the next death, and the next after that — or we can decide to choose to let addicts live. It’s up to us.”

  • Charlie Sheen’s Ex Rushed to Hospital; Overdose Rumors Contradicted

    Charlie Sheen’s former fiancĂ©e Brett Rossi, who goes by the name Scottine Sheen, was hospitalized due to an overdose over the weekend.

    RadarOnline quotes an insider who told them that Rossi was found unresponsive by a friend in her own home.

    “It was an overdose,” the source said. “It is not known what she overdosed on.”

    The source further told Radar that Rossi was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where her stomach was pumped and she spent the night in the intensive care unit. She was then admitted to the hospital where she spent an additional night.

    “Charlie and Scotty have been in communication,” Sheen’s rep Jeff Ballard said in a statement, “and Charlie still has a tremendous fondness for Scotty and continues to wish her all the best.”

    Sheen and Rossi split in October after just under a year together. Sheen said of the split:

    “Scotty and I had a great year together as we traveled the world and crossed a lot of things off our bucket list. She’s a terrific gal – but we’ve mutually decided to go our separate ways and not spend the rest of our lives together.”

    Radar’s source said that Rossi’s overdose is directly related to the breakup with Sheen.

    “It’s been four or five weeks, but Brett is taking it very hard,” the insider said. “She still has not gotten over the breakup.”

    However, that story is contradicted by a source speaking to US Weekly:

    “Her hospital stay was due to an adverse reaction to a newly prescribed medication. The rumors that she had her stomach pumped due to an overdose are completely false. Scottine has always been an advocate for living a healthy, sober lifestyle and has never had a history of substance abuse in her past.

    “Scottine has chosen not to comment on anything regarding her personal life and has only asked that the media please respect her privacy during this time.”

  • Brett Rossi, Charlie Sheen’s Ex, Hospitalized After Split

    Brett Rossi, Charlie Sheen’s ex fiancĂ©, had to be hospitalized over the weekend.

    According to Radar Online, Rossi, who also goes by the name of Scottine Sheen, was found unresponsive at her California home by a close friend.

    “It was an overdose,” a source told the website. “It is not known what she overdosed on.”

    According to the source, Rossi was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical where she had her stomach pumped and then spent the night in the intensive care unit.

    While one source revealed that Rossi had overdosed, Us Weekly explained that she was hospitalized due to an adverse reaction to a newly prescribed medication.

    “Her hospital stay was due to an adverse reaction to a newly prescribed medication,” another source told Us. “The rumors that she had her stomach pumped due to an overdose are completely false. Scottine has always been an advocate for living a healthy, sober lifestyle and has never had a history of substance abuse in her past.”

    “Scottine has chosen not to comment on anything regarding her personal life and has only asked that the media please respect her privacy during this time,” the source added.

    Sheen and Rossi called it quits in mid-October. “Scotty and I had a great year together as we traveled the world and crossed a lot of things off our bucket list,” Sheen said at the time of their break up. “She’s a terrific gal—but we’ve mutually decided to go our separate ways and not spend the rest of our lives together.”

    “I’ve decided that my children deserve my focus more than a relationship does right now,” he added. “I still have a tremendous fondness for Scotty and I wish her all the best.”

    While they are not together, Sheen did reach out to his ex after the incident. “Charlie and Scotty have been in communication and Charlie still has a tremendous fondness for Scotty and continues to wish her all the best,” Sheen’s rep told E! News.

  • Second Overdose Death At Mad Decent Block Party

    During an outdoor music festival organized by record label Mad Decent in Columbia, Maryland on Friday, two fans died of apparent drug overdoses, and an additional 19 were transported to an area hospital.

    An unnamed 17-year-old male from Virginia, who was hospitalized since Friday and in critical condition, died Monday. This comes after 20-year-old Tyler Fox Viscardi, of Raleigh, North Carolina, died after being rushed to the hospital at 9 p.m. EDT after overdosing at the all-day Mad Decent Block Party, the Howard County Police Department said in a statement.

    Authorities believe that MDMA, also called “molly” and ecstasy, was prevalent at the event, and Viscardi’s family has suggested in a statement that Tyler was unknowingly slipped the drug – “We are devastated by the sudden loss of our beloved Tyler. He was the victim of a terrible mishap. Details are not clear yet, but we know this much. He was attending a music festival in Maryland with some friends. According to his close college friend who was with him, the afternoon was hot and he drank water that was given to him by others who were in the area. We believe that this contained a substance, unbeknownst to him, to which he had a toxic reaction. He was taken to a nearby hospital, but the reaction proved fatal. This tragic accident has taken Tyler from us. He will always be in our hearts.”

    The concert took place at the Merriweather Post Pavillion, roughly 20 miles southwest of Baltimore, and featured pop and dance artists including Cashmere Cat, Flux Pavilion, Diplo, Sleigh Bells, Wave Racer and Wolfgang Gartner.

    Here is the Mad Decent Block Party 2014 Trailer:

    Operators of the Merriweather Post Pavillion said in a statement, “Our hearts go out to the family as they face the unimaginable… We can spend every minute of the day making sense to our children regarding the perils of drugs, but sometimes it’s impossible to convince them that this is relevant to their world.”

    In all, 20 concertgoers were hospitalized, roughly 60 fake IDs were confiscated and 50 underage drinking citations were handed out by police.

    Mad Decent adjusted their initial statement on the incident – “We were shocked and saddened when we heard the news from Friday’s event at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland. Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Philip Seymour Hoffman Leaves Children Out of Will

    Court documents obtained Monday revealed that late actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman opted to leave his three children out of his will, as he “did not want his children to be considered ‘trust fund’ kids,” according to the Oscar winner’s accountant.

    Hoffman had amassed a $35 million fortune during his Hollywood career, and his accountant David Friedman was recently interviewed by court-appointed attorney James Cahill Jr., who was hired to represent the interests of Hoffman’s children – son Cooper, 10, and daughters Tallulah, 7, and Willa, 5.

    According to a Manhattan Surrogate Court filing on July 18, Friedman recalled conversations with Hoffman – “in the year before his demise were the topic of a trust was raised for the kids and summarily rejected by him.” Friedman revealed that Hoffman wanted his fortune to go to the mother of his children, Mimi O’Donnell. In the filing, which was put together in 2004 before Tallulah and Willa were born, Friedman stated that Hoffman believed O’Donnell “would take care of the children.”

    Hoffman and O’Donnell separated in the fall of 2013, just months before his death, after 14 years together.

    Hoffman won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in Capote:

    Here is the trailer for A Most Wanted Man, one of the Hunger Games franchise star’s final films:

    Hoffman, who had struggled with addiction in his 20’s, appeared to have his drug problem under control around the time of his death. Though, on February 2, 2014, playwright and screenwriter David Bar Katz found Hoffman dead in his West Village apartment. Authorities said Hoffman had a syringe still in his arm, and the New York City medical examiner’s office ruled the actor’s death as accidental, caused by “acute mixed drug intoxication, including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine.”

    Hoffman’s will also explicitly stated that his son Cooper was to “be raised and reside in or near the borough of Manhattan [or] Chicago, Illinois, or San Francisco, California.” Hoffman explained, “The purpose of this request is so that my son will be exposed to the culture, arts and architecture that such cities offer.”

    Friedman claimed to have “observed Hoffman treating his partner/girlfriend in the same manner as if she were a spouse.” The accountant also revealed that Hoffman never married costume designer O’Donnell because he “simply did not believe in marriage,” and that the two, despite their marital status, shared “substantial” joint bank accounts.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Lea Michele Only Has Happy Memories of Cory

    Popular Glee actress Lea Michele does not want her late boyfriend, Cory Monteith, to be defined by the addiction that ultimately claimed his life. In a recent interview with Seventeen magazine, Michele spoke about Cory’s unique ability to make her feel special.

    “I only have happy memories of Cory. He was not his addiction – unfortunately, it won. But that wasn’t who he was. Cory made me feel like a queen every day. From the minute he said, ‘I’m your boyfriend,’ I loved every day, and I thank him for being the best boyfriend and making me feel so beautiful,” Michele shared.

    In the aftermath of the public heartbreak and devastation at losing 31-year-old Monteith, Michele has thrown herself into her work. The talented singer has just released an album composed of tracks to honor her late boyfriend. Michele spoke with a representative from Seventeen prior to the album’s release where she explained the desire to continue her own unique journey while still keeping the memory of Cory alive.

    “My album is coming out on March 4th—which is bizarre, like it’s meant to be. Just think about it: we’re going to “March fo(u)rth.” We’re going to march forth like a Cannonball. I try my best to march forth and live my life as best as I can for me. I also feel an incredible, happy responsibility to keep the memory and light of [Cory, who] was the most amazing person. I’m so happy to make it my journey now to continue on and live my life as best as I can,” Michele said.

    Image Via Wikimedia Commons And Courtesy of Mike Ownby

  • New Painkiller Zohydro: What Parents And Patients Need To Know

    Painkiller junkies who’ve diligently done research are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a pill called Zohydro.

    Meanwhile, a well-meaning coalition of health professionals is also anticipating – the imminent demise of such existing abusers and legitimate patients alike. They are trying their hardest to prevent such tragedy from unfolding right up until the last minute, as the drug is set to be released as soon as March.

    “In the midst of a severe drug epidemic fueled by overprescribing of opioids, the very last thing the country needs is a new, dangerous, high-dose opioid,” the aforementioned coalition of healthcare, consumer, and addiction treatment professionals wrote to FDA. They added, “Too many people have already become addicted to similar opioid medications, and too many lives have been lost.”

    “This could be the next OxyContin,” a petition on Change.org predicts, as they beseech the FDA to reconsider release of this drug.

    Indeed, in the 90’s, the powerful opiate painkiller called Oxycontin became a popular pill for doctors to push. Patients became quickly addicted, having little or no knowledge about just how addictive it was until it was too late. There were numerous overdose related deaths following the release of that drug – which have only risen since.

    Patients may not have been as aware in the past about potential dangers of painkillers, but efforts have been made in the past couple of decades to educate the public. Likewise, if any new drug (with potentially detrimental effects) hits the market, patients have a right to know the whole story before their doctor says something like, “If you’re still in pain, let’s try the narcotic rotation method…. I’m going to switch you from your Oxycontin to this new drug called Zohydro” (a suggestion that conveniently helps him pay off that sports car you limped past on your way in).

    Now, don’t get me wrong. There are people in chronic relentless pain who absolutely rely on their pharmaceuticals to get through the excruciating agony that comes with everything from herniated discs to cancer. Trust me, I know. However, this group of the population certainly doesn’t account for the staggering statistics the CDC cites when it comes to narcotic over-prescription, prescription abuse, and overdose deaths.

    Specifically, the CDC indicates “there is currently a growing, deadly epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse. Nearly three out of four prescription drug overdoses are caused by prescription painkillers—also called opioid pain relievers,” adding that the “ rise in overdose deaths in the US parallels a 300% increase since 1999 in the sale of these strong painkillers.”

    In 2008 alone, there were 14,800 deaths attributable to these sorts of drugs (more than cocaine and heroin combined), and caused 475,000 abuse-related emergency room visits the next year – a stat that was half that amount just five years before.

    As far as recent abuse stats go, more than 12 million people admitted in 2010 to taking the drug just for fun (or perhaps to attempt redressing an addiction associated intrinsic void) and that they obtained it without a prescription for any kind of physical infirmity.

    Now, parents, this part is for you.

    Back when Oxycontin was released, abusers quickly realized that crushing the pill and insufflating it (that’s just a fancy way of saying they snort it up their nose holes) could double the high. Veteran addicts and kids pill-pilfering from their parents’ post-operation supply similarly fell prey to this – until the latter group grew up to be the former. In more recent years, efforts have been made by drug companies to reformulate Oxycontin and drugs like it to make it tamper proof (so they couldn’t be taken any way but orally).

    Zohydro, however, is not tamper proof.

    “It’s a whopping dose of hydrocodone packed in an easy-to-crush capsule,” Dr. Andrew Kolodny, president of Pysicians for Responsibilbe Opioid Prescribing, warns before adding: “It will kill people as soon as it’s released.”

    Zohydro also packs a five-point punch of potency, compared to its predecessors: “You’re talking about a drug that’s somewhere in the neighborhood of five times more potent than what we’re dealing with now,” said Dr. Stephen Anderson, a Washington emergency room physician. He adds, “I’m five times more concerned, solely based on potency.”

    I’m not here to give a speech or spread unwarranted fear. For some well-read and responsible patients, this drug may be a viable option. But as someone who’s seen firsthand the horrors of prescription abuse and addiction, I feel like there is indeed some warranted level of fear when it comes to heavy duty painkillers – for everyone.

    There are patients who won’t realize how easy it is to overdose.

    There are parents who won’t realize how easy it is for their kids to obtain it.

    And there are doctors whose patients will be abusing it right under their noses (pardon the pun).

    While this drug may end up being the magic bullet for some, a good suggestion might be doing heaps of research (as you always should) before adding this to your prescription collection and moving from the pharmaceutical frying pan to the fire.

    If you or someone you know is suffering from the disease of addiction, help is available.

    Never give up.

    Image via Youtube

  • Monster Energy Drinks Investigated By Attorneys

    Your company may want to stop pushing the envelope of your product if it has a history for being a potential causation of five deaths from reports by the Food and Drug Administration.

    Monster Beverage Corporation, the makers of the popular Monster Energy drink has been pitted against the combined forces of east and west: a New York state attorney general and San Francisco city attorney are investigating the company’s marketing towards children.

    San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joined forces last month after a federal judge in California tossed out a lawsuit filed by Monster; the company wanted to stop Herrera’s ongoing investigation that first began in 2012.

    Herrera filed a lawsuit against the company that claimed that Monster Energy drinks posed serious health issues as well as violating California state law by misbranding and marketing them towards children.

    Roughly 3,000 miles away in New York, Scheniderman issued subpoenas to multiple energy-drink makers as well as Monster as part of his ongoing investigation.

    “We are disappointed that Monster has remained defiant in marketing products to children,” Herrera said. “We hope this effort will cause the company to correct its irresponsible marketing practices.”

    Monster Beverage Corporation didn’t have an immediate comment on the joint effort, spokesperson Tammy Taylor said.

    Hold the tall large aluminum can of Monster and look closely and you’ll find a warning for all:

    (image)

    Not not that… this:

    (image)

    “Limit 3 cans per day. Not recommended for children, pregnant women, or people sensitive to caffeine.”

    Yet despite the disclaimer, Herrera asserts that the company pushes its product on minors.

    According kidshealth.org, at most, minors should ingest no more than 100 mg of caffeine per day.

    In December 2011, 14 year old Anais Fournier died of cardiac arrest due to caffeine toxicity after consistently consuming two 710 ml cans (3 cups) of Monster Energy per day. The combined amount of Fournier’s daily caffeine intake was 475 mg (14 cans of Coca Cola). It should be noted that Fournier had a pre-existing heart condition known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

    Like a record, Monster has stated repeatedly that its drinks are safe, claiming ignorance of any deaths caused by its products.

    “As a company, we vehemently deny that drinking two cans of Monster Energy by itself can cause a death from caffeine toxicity,” the company said to WRC-TV back in 2012.

    What do you think? Kid friendly?

    Update: Spokesperson Tamara Taylor of Sitrick And Company said in an email to WebProNews that:

    “The sale and consumption of more than 10 billion Monster energy drinks worldwide over more than 11 years has shown that our products are safe. Contrary to allegations, they are not “highly caffeinated” and they are not marketed to children. In fact, a 16-ounce Monster Energy drink contains less than half the caffeine of a 16-oz (medium) size cup of Starbucks brewed coffee. Monster’s labels state: “Consume responsibly: Not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women or women who are nursing.”

    Images via Hoax Slayer, World Truth, Forbes, American Live Wire

  • Conrad Murray Blames Michael Jackson for Own Death

    Dr. Conrad Murray continues to claim his innocence in the death of iconic performer Michael Jackson. The 60-year-old heart surgeon was released from prison three weeks ago, but has already spoken about the legendary singer and dancer. In a recent interview with The Mail, the doctor shifted blame for the tragic death on the superstar himself. ‘I did not kill Michael Jackson. He was a drug addict. Michael Jackson accidentally killed Michael Jackson,’ Murray said.

    Murray was imprisoned for involuntary manslaughter, and served half of his four-year-sentence before being released. Though the doctor began working for the King of Pop in 2006, Murray says that he did not prescribe all the drugs located in Jackson’s system at the time of death. “That night he just couldn’t sleep. I prescribed him drugs to help, including Valium and Lorazepam, but he was begging, pleading, close to tears. I told him, ‘This is not normal. What I’ve given you would put an elephant to sleep’. In the other bedroom, the police found an open bottle of Lorazepam. They found tablets in his stomach. I didn’t give him those. Michael took extra tablets. And he injected himself,” Murray said.

    During an April interview with CNN‘s Anderson Cooper, Conrad Murray likened his personal story to a sad, Nat King Cole Christmas song. “He is a little boy that Santa Claus forgot, and goodness knows, he did not want a lot. He wrote a note to Santa for some crayons and a toy. It broke his little heart when he found Santa hadn’t come.” Murray recited before continuing, “In the streets, he envied all the lucky boys, but goodness knows, he didn’t want a lot. I’m so sorry for that laddie who hasn’t got a daddy. He’s a little boy that Santa Claus forgot. That song tells my story. That’s how I grew up. I had no toy. I had nothing. As I grew up, my heart has been whole and my heart says to help, and all I do is to give. I want to give.”

    Murray has been vilified in the hearts of many Michael Jackson supporters who continue to mourn the passing of the talented, if not somewhat troubled star. Murray summarized his own views on the dynamics of this relationship that involved a doctor and a celebrity, “I tried to protect him but instead I was brought down with him.”

    [Image Via NDN]

  • Tylenol Warnings Serve as Grave Reminder

    Tylenol Warnings Serve as Grave Reminder

    Very soon the Tylenol products that we know as the safest pain reliever available and use without fear for every little ache will carry bright red warning labels on the lid. These warnings are a product of numerous lawsuits and pressure by the federal government.The warnings will start in October on Extra Strength Tylenol and become widespread on other Tylenol products in the following months.

    The warnings are intended to make clear the possible sudden liver failure or even death that can be caused by taking too much Tylenol in a day. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that overdoses of Acetaminophen send between 50,000 to 80,000 people to the emergency room each year and claim the lives of around 500. So what is the factor that turns the safest pain reliever into a killer? Humans. That’s right.

    Apparently, we all assume we need the highest dose available to begin with. Many stores don’t even carry Regular Strength Tylenol on their shelves anymore. I’m not sure I have ever seen a regular strength bottle in anyone’s medicine cabinet. Extra Strength has 1,000mg of Acetaminophen, compared to 650 mg in the Regular Strength dose. The maximum safe dosage is 4,000mg per day

    Here’s the danger: You just had surgery, so you take your Vicodin or Percocet, which contain 2600mg daily of Acetaminophen in the two pills every six hours . You still feel pain, so You think you could just add Extra Strength Tylenol to the regimen, for another 3,000mg. Now, you also have a cold, or trouble sleeping, so you take Nyquil to sleep. You’re a tough guy and don’t need to read labels, so you don’t realize that Nyquil also contains 650mg of Acetaminophen. A regular dose. After a few days on this 6,250mg regimen, liver failure is a real risk.

    However, there are still cases where, researchers say, the patients with liver failure took the recommended dose. They say it could be genetic predisposition, or it could be a human predisposition to lie for money. My bet is, it’s the second, but READ LABELS, PEOPLE! And be careful about the dose you take.

    Image via Wikipedia

  • Cory Monteith – Drug Abuse Agency Issues Statement

    We have reported on the death of Cory Monteith, discussing the coroner’s report, and the reactions from other celebrities following his death. Now a statement has been issued by the powers that be at The Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Their hope is that other young people take to heart the lesson about drug abuse that Monteith’s tragic death offers.

    We are saddened by the tragic, early death of “Glee” star Cory Monteith due to an overdose of heroin and alcohol. We hope that parents take this teachable moment and talk with their kids early and often about substance abuse, whether that be about prescription drug misuse, drinking or other illicit drugs.

    After news of Cory’s death, a colleague said to me of Cory’s beloved “Glee” character, “Finn Hudson was the kind of son I’d hope to raise – a good friend, a loving son, a school leader. From all accounts, that’s the kind of person Cory Monteith was as well – gracious, kind and hardworking. His death hits home that addiction can happen to anyone.”

    In interviews, Cory spoke bravely and honestly about his substance use and attempts to change his life course through treatment, hoping that his experience could be an example for other young people. His struggle and death don’t make him a hypocrite. It makes him human. And his life and death can still be an example for families.

    Cory’s lifelong struggle with substance use is a testament to the fact that people who try drugs and alcohol at a young age are much more likely to suffer from addiction as adults, as Cory tragically did. In fact, 90 percent of adult addictions start with use in the teenage years. Kids who learn about the dangers of drugs and alcohol early and often are far less likely to use and to become addicted than those who do not receive this critical message at home. Parents and caring adults play a crucial role when it comes to preventing substance abuse.

  • Rapper Overdose Confirmed by Medical Examiner

    Chris Kelly of the rap group Kriss Kross died of a drug overdose, a medical office investigator told the Associated Press on Monday.

    The 90’s musician died on May 1 from a mixture of drugs, confirmed Betty Honey from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office in Atlanta. The office did not release information about the type of drugs found in Kelly’s system.

    Kelly’s mother Donna Kelly Pratt told police that her son used cocaine and heroin the night before his death, according to the Associated Press report. She also told police that he had an “extensive history of drug use.”

    The 34-year-old was found in his Atlanta home by paramedics and could not be resuscitated.

    Kelly and Chris Smith of Kriss Kross were best known for their 1992 hit “Jump.” The trend-setting pair was also known for wearing their clothes backwards.

    Kelly’s mother released a statement to Us Weekly:

    “To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music. But to us, he was just Chris — the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him. His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him.”

  • Rapper: Overdose Found To Be Cause Of Death

    Rapper Chris Kelly, who was one half of the popular ’90s group Kriss Kross, died in May under mysterious circumstances; at the time, police said they believed it to be drug related, but didn’t release many details. Now, the coroner’s report has come back, and it looks like his death has been ruled an overdose.

    Kelly reportedly had a mixture of drugs in his system when he died, including heroin and cocaine. His mother told police he had a history of drug abuse and had been using the night he passed away. She was the first to issue a statement about his death, saying:

    “It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Chris Kelly has passed away on May 1. To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music. But to us, he was just Chris – the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him. His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him.”

    Kelly and friend Chris Smith were discovered at an Atlanta mall as teenagers by producer Jermaine Dupri, and soon shot to stardom with their debut album “Totally Krossed Out”. Their style of dress–wearing clothes backwards and sagging their jeans–became enormously popular with middle-school and high school-aged kids, and the duo enjoyed success through most of the ’90s. Although they’d moved on with their careers separately as adults, they reunited earlier this year to perform at the So-So Def 20th Anniversary Concert.