It is expected that news on how she died will be released later today. The inquest into Winehouse’s death will be opened and adjourned at St Pancras Coroner’s Court this afternoon, police said.
The multi-millionaire singer had repeatedly tried but failed to overcome her addictions particularly to vodka and drugs. Miss Winehouse, 27, was found at her North London home by a bodyguard on Saturday afternoon.
She was believed to be ‘devastated’ after splitting up with her on-off boyfriend, film director Reg Travis, who was seen outside her home hours after her body was discovered. Her family will be given the results of a post-mortem examination today which will finally allow them to bury her.
It has been claimed Amy had bought drugs the night before her death but a preliminary police investigation has shown no drug paraphernalia was found at Miss Winehouse’s $3million home.
Police sources have indicated she died following a drink binge. Asked about the circumstances of Miss Winehouse’s death, her PR spokesperson Chris Goodman told The Sun: ‘Amy was on her own at home apart from a security guard who we had appointed to help look after her over the past couple of years.’
‘She was in her bedroom after saying she wanted to sleep and when he went to wake her he found she wasn’t breathing. ‘He called the emergency services straight away. He was very shocked. At this stage no-one knows how she died. She died alone in bed.’
It was also claimed Miss Winehouse may have been dead for up to six hours before she was found by her security guard, Andrew Morris.
A source said: ‘Rigor mortis had set in, indicating she is likely to have been dead for anything up to six hours.’
The singer had lunch with her mother Janis the day before she died. Mrs Winehouse believed her daughter’s death had been ‘only a matter of time’.
They had met in Camden and Mrs Winehouse said her daughter had ‘seemed weary, but that wasn’t particularly unusual as she always went to bed late. Her passing so suddenly still hasn’t hit me.’
Only last month Miss Winehouse had checked out of the Priory Clinic following intensive treatment for her drinking and was given the all-clear to carry on with her comeback European tour. At the time, it was confirmed she would continue as an out-patient.
She then performed a seven-song set at the prestigious 100 Club in London in front of friends and family and was deemed to be ‘back on form.’
But weeks later she was booed off stage at a gig in Belgrade, Serbia, after giving a dazed performance and delivering barely recognisable versions of her hits. The tour was swiftly cancelled.
Image credit to Alexander/Fox/WENN.com
