Irish singer Dolores O'Riordan of Irish band The Cranberries performs on stage during the 23th edition of the Cognac Blues Passion festival in Cognac on July 07, 2016. / AFP / GUILLAUME SOUVANT (Photo credit should read GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP/Getty Images)
The cause of Cranberries lead singer Dolores O’Riordan’s accidental death was drowning in a bath due to alcohol intoxication, a coroner has ruled.
The 46-year-old singer died suddenly on January 15 at the Park Land Hilton Hotel in London.
Five empty miniature bottles of alcohol and an empty champagne bottle were found in the room, as well as containers with prescription drugs.
Toxicology test showed only “therapeutic” amounts of medication, but 330 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood meant O’Riordan’s blood alcohol level was four times the drink and drive limit at the time of her death.
The coroner was told the singer’s drinking habits swung from abstention to excessive drinking.
Her last contact with anyone was a phone call to her mother at 3am.
She was found in the bath and confirmed dead at 9.16am.
PC Natalie Smart told the inquest: “I saw Mrs O’Riordan submerged in the bath with her nose and mouth fully under water.”
“There’s no evidence that this was anything other than an accident,” the coroner said.
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