A coroner has ruled that British singer Amy Winehouse died as a result of drinking too much alcohol.
Speaking at the inquest in London Wednesday, coroner Suzanne Greenway issued a verdict of “death by misadventure” after Winehouse consumed enough alcohol to put her blood alcohol level at more than five times the legal drunk-driving limit. The initial autopsy report was inconclusive, although it showed no illegal substances in Winehouse's system.
The Grammy-winning singer had a well-documented battle with drugs and alcohol. She was found dead in her bed on July 23 at the age of 27. Police discovered empty vodka bottles in her bedroom.
Winehouse apparently had been trying to handle her drinking problem without professional help. But after a period of abstaining from alcohol, she starting drinking again days before her death.
The soulful singer reflected her struggles with substance abuse in her most successful song, “Rehab.”
Winehouse won five Grammy awards for her 2006 album “Back to Black,” which featured “Rehab.” “Back to Black” topped the British charts, but the album stalled at number two in the U.S.