Amy Winehouse's Family Says Alcohol Withdrawal Killed Her
Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse battled addictions to drug and alcohol for years, but her family says they believe it was her recent abstinence from alcohol that killed her, The Sun reports.
A source close to her family tells the British newspaper that Winehouse ignored doctors' advice to gradually give up alcohol and instead went cold turkey from the substance. Her family believes the 27-year-old singer, who was found dead Saturday, died from a seizure brought on because her body did not know how to process such a withdrawal. "Abstinence gave her body such a fright they thought it was eventually the cause of her death," the source told the newspaper.
Amy Winehouse funeral held in London
Her father, Mitch Winehouse, denied reports that she had been drinking 72 hours before her death at a music festival in London. "He said doctors had told Amy to gradually reduce her intake of alcohol and to avoid bingeing at all costs. Amy told him she couldn't do that. It was all or nothing and she gave up completely," the source said. "Mitch said the shock of giving up, after everything she had been through over a bad few years, was just too much for her to take."
Amy Winehouse autopsy inconclusive; burial set
People confirmed Winehouse's family believe it was her quitting alcohol completely and immediately that led to her death.
The true cause of Winehouse's death won't be known for several weeks, pending toxicology tests. An autopsy performed Monday on the "Back to Black" singer was inconclusive.