Prince Rogers Nelson was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor. (Photo : Getty Images/Jonathan Daniel)
Music icon Prince died from an accidental overdose of the painkiller fentanyl, according to the Midwest Medical Examiner in Minnesota. The report comes comes more than a month after the singer was found slumped in a lift at his home on April 21.
The report from the medical examiner's office, which was also released on Twitter, however failed to provide much detail. It did not specify how the drug was taken and if it was a prescribed one or made illegally.
Prince Rogers Nelson investigation results attached pic.twitter.com/CMt6lQSGxJ
— Midwest Medical Exam (@MidwestMedExam) June 2, 2016
The report also mentions that the music superstar weighed 112 pounds and was 63 inches tall when he died. The full autopsy and toxicology reports will not be released publicly, the office told CNN.
Since his death, information has emerged that Prince was taking several painkillers, reportedly owing to his hip problem. He was also found with opioid medication at the time of his death. Investigators so far have failed to confirm that Prince had a valid prescription for all the recovered opioid medications.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is several times more powerful than morphine. It is usually administered by injection, lozenge or patch to treat severe pain after surgery and to manage chronic pain. The controlled substance is commonly sold illegally and misused by addicts.
The day before he was found dead, Prince was treated by a Twin Cities doctor for withdrawal symptoms from opioid addiction. The unknown treated him for fatigue, anaemia and concerns about opiate withdrawal.
Shortly before Prince's demise, members of the artist's inner circle became so concerned about his health that they reportedly reached out Dr. Howard Kornfeld, a pain and addiction specialist in Mill Valley, California, to seek his help to get the musician off prescription painkillers. However, Dr. Howard could not clear his schedule and send his son Andrew, a pre-med student, who eventually discovered the late singer's body and made 911 call.
"Based on media reports suggesting Prince died at least six hours before Andrew arrived at Paisley Park and the medical examiner's conclusion, released today, that Prince died after he self-administered the extremely potent opioid fentanyl, it is abundantly clear that Andrew and Dr. Kornfeld had nothing to do with Prince's death," Star Tribune quoted Minneapolis attorney William Mauzy, who represents Andrew Kornfeld, as saying.
Meanwhile, check out Prince's best music below:
