A medical examiner ruled Chris Cornell’s death as suicide by hanging. However, the singer’s family is questioning that conclusion, saying in a new statement that “if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions.”
Instead, the family believes that a prescription drug called Ativan may be to blame, as Cornell allegedly took multiple pills in the hours before his death. “Some medical literature indicates that Ativan can cause paranoid or suicidal thoughts, slurred speech and impaired judgment,” their statement noted.
In a separate statement, Cornell’s wife Vicky recounted how Cornell had just flown home for Mother’s Day and was making vacation plans for Memorial Day Weekend. However, “When we spoke after the show, I noticed he was slurring his words; he was different,” she explained. “When he told me he may have taken an extra Ativan or two, I contacted security and asked that they check on him. What happened is inexplicable and I am hopeful that further medical reports will provide additional details. I know that he loved our children and he would not hurt them by intentionally taking his own life.”
The family concludes its statement saying, “Without the results of toxicology tests, we do not know what was going on with Chris—or if any substances contributed to his demise.”
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