Daniel Smith's Deadly Eight-Drug Cocktail

Tue., Dec. 11, 2007 7:02 AM PST by Gina Serpe

Unfortunately, it appears to be a case of like mother, like son in the Smith family cause of death.

Dr. Govinda Raju, the Bahamian pathologist who performed the official autopsy of 20-year-old Daniel Smith, testified at Smith's inquest Monday that he had more than eight different drugs in his system at the time of his passing and that a fatal combination of Methadone and the antidepressants Zoloft and Lexapro caused his death.

According to Raju, two separate toxicology reports, which tested blood and urine samples taken shortly after Smith's death in a Nassau hospital room on Sept. 10, 2006, revealed five prescription drugs in his system, as well as one over-the-counter drug and two drugs doctors used in an attempt to revive him after discovering him unconscious.

Raju said the combination of drugs in Smith's system likely turned lethal just five hours after he took the medication.

Raju also testified that while it was probably the combination of prescription drugs that did Daniel in, it was unclear whether the drugs were actually all prescribed to Smith, as he had only the police report to base his conclusions on.

Wayne Munroe, the attorney for Howard K. Stern, who has also testified in the inquest and who was present in the Doctors Hospital room when Smith was found unconscious, told the court that the drugs found in the boy's system could all be used to treat symptoms that Smith had long struggled with.

"Once you boil it all down, these were medicines treating either pain or depression," he said, adding that Smith had a history of suffering from back pain.

Zoloft and Lexapro are antidepressants commonly used to treat anxiety and pain, while Methadone is also a pain reliever, though also used to suppress withdrawal symptoms from drug users.

Dr. Cyril Wecht, the private pathologist hired by Anna Nicole to conduct an autopsy on her son in the wake of his death, but whose report has been deemed unofficial and therefore inadmissible by the Bahamian Court, had previously identified Zoloft, Lexapro and Methadone as being in Smith's system at the time of his death. He also previously claimed that Ambien, a mild antidepressant and sleep aid, had also been in the boy's body, as well as an over-the-counter cold medication, though said neither contributed to his death.

Raju also testified Monday that bruises were found on Smith's back and shoulders but that they were likely caused by doctors in their attempts to revive him.

Smith passed away in his mother's hospital room just three days after the birth of his half-sister Dannielynn. Almost exactly five months later, Anna Nicole herself passed away from a lethal combination of drugs after collapsing in a Florida hotel room.

Bahamian police have said there is no evidence of homicide in Daniel's death.

In addition to Raju's testimony, a fellow hospital patient who was staying in the room adjacent to Smith's also took the stand Monday. Caroline Nairn testified that she heard a woman's voice "in a panic state crying, shouting, screaming, 'Oh, my baby boy' " the morning Smith was found.

Dr. Charles Diggis, the Chief Medical Officer at Doctors Hospital, also testified about typical code-blue procedures at the facility, while Corporal Addie Findley, the officer who first arrived on the scene, also took the stand.

Nineteen more witnesses are expected to be called in the inquest. The proceedings are meant to determine exactly what killed Daniel. Following the conclusion of testimony the all-female inquest jury can recommend charges be filed, though prosecutors are not bound to abide by their recommendations.

Testimony is due to resume Tuesday.