Anne Heche Cause of Death Officially Declared by Coroner

Anne Heche‘s death was ruled an accident by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner on Wednesday. The actress died from inhaling smoke and getting thermal injuries, according to the coroner’s report. Heche was legally dead on Aug. 11, but she was kept on life support until Aug. 14 so her organs could be donated. Heche’s death came a week after she crashed her blue Mini Cooper into a house in Los Angeles on Aug. 5.

The manner of death was listed as an accident. The coroner’s report also noted a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma” was a “significant condition” from the crash. A sternal fracture can happen when the chest hits the steering wheel during a car crash. This injury is more common among older patients and slightly more prevalent in females, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Heche crashed her car into a garage at an apartment complex in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles on Aug. 5. After hitting the garage, she drove away and hit a house, causing a fire. On Aug. 11, her representative said she was not expected to survive because of an anoxic brain injury. She was considered “legally dead” by California law, but she remained on life support until Aug. 14 so a match could be found for her organs.

The 911 call after the second crash reported that Heche’s car was about 10 feet into the house., according to the recording CNN obtained. The caller said that everyone was accounted for, but they did not know how many people were in the car.”Somebody is opening the back to see if we can access because they’re kinda trapped… inside the car,” the caller is heard saying before another voice yells, “Fire!” It took 59 firefighters to extinguish the fire.

“Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” Heche’s representative told PEOPLE after Heche was taken off life support. “Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”

Heche became famous for playing the twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love on Another World. This earned her a Daytime Emmy award. Later, in the late 1990s, she starred in a number of popular movies, such as Donnie Brasco, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Volcano, Wag the Dog, and Six Days, Seven Nights. In more recent years, she returned to television with recurring roles on Chicago P.D. and All Rise. Recently she starred in the upcoming Lifetime movie Girl in Room 13 about human trafficking. Heche is survived by her sons Homer Laffoon, 20, and Atlas Heche Tupper, 13.

Micajah

Covering superheroes, anything dark, horror, and more! Lead writer for Fan Fest