TikTok star Cooper Noriega’s cause of death has been confirmed by the Los Angeles coroner six months after he died, several news outlets reported.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner reportedly determined that Noriega, 19, died due to the combined effects of the drugs fentanyl, lorazepam and alprazolam. The latter two are sedatives commonly known under the brand names Ativan and Xanax; they can be prescribed to treat anxiety and other conditions. The coroner said Noriega’s recent use of clonazepam, another anxiety medication, also contributed to his death.
The death was ruled an accident.
The social media star’s body was found in a mall parking lot in Burbank, California, on June 9. Paramedics were unable to revive him.
Hours before his death, Noriega posted a TikTok while lying in bed with the caption: “who else b thinking they gon d!€ young af.”
Four days earlier, he said he was creating a Discord account called “Coop’s Advice” intended as a safe space to discuss addiction and mental illness. He also opened up about his struggles with addiction that he said started when he was 9 years old.
“I would like to use the influence I’ve been given to create a space built on spreading awareness and normalizing talking about mental illness,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “My goal is to eventually open a rehab where people aren’t traumatized at the end of their recovery, and where staff members are trusted people.”
Noriega’s TikTok account is followed by more than 3.2 million users.
Since his death, his family have posted from his Instagram account that they intend to make his vision for Coop’s Advice a reality.
“We will continue to spend the rest of our lives finishing everything Cooper every dreamed of. We will honor his legacy forever,” the family said in a statement in June. “Our beautiful boy, we love you forever.”
The family has established the Coop’s Advice Foundation, which aims to “become a leader in the movement to rethink how our society understands and addresses mental health and addiction, especially among the members of GenZ.”
“Cooper’s life and work shined a light on the urgent need to destigmatize addiction and support comprehensive mental health, and Coop’s Advice will ensure that light continues to shine,” the foundation’s site reads.
Need help with substance use disorder or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.