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Six months after TikTok star Cooper Noriega was found dead in a Burbank, California, mall parking lot on June 9, 2022, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner has now ruled the cause of death to be a lethal combination of opioid and anxiety medications.
The LA County coroner stated that Noriega died accidentally from the "combined effects of alprazolam, fentanyl, and lorazepam." In addition to the accidental drug overdose, toxicology investigations also found evidence of "recent clonazepam use."
The news of the 19-year-old social media star's death was announced on June 10, 2022, in a tweet by the Barstool Sports BFF’s Podcast. They wrote:
"Life is fragile. Enjoy every minute."
Noriega had appeared on the podcast just a week prior to his demise.
Cooper Noriega's mental health struggles and substance abuse explored in light of accidental drug overdose reveal
Of the three substances found, two - Alprazolam (also known as Xanax), and Lorazepam (also known as Ativan) - were anxiety medications. Both are used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
According to Medline Plus, a cautionary warning is given while taking Xanax:
"Drinking alcohol or using street drugs during your treatment with alprazolam also increases the risk that you will experience these serious, life-threatening side effects."
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration deems it to be 80-100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. As per the DEA website, the drug was developed "for pain management treatment of Cancer patients," but is often used as a recreational drug.
It is yet to be confirmed if Cooper Noriega was prescribed any of the medications.
Cooper Noriega often spoke about his struggle with mental health
The TikTok star had previously admitted to struggling with addiction from the age of 9.
In an Instagram post shared on June 5, 2022, he stated that he was starting a discord page dedicated to "mental health strictly," aiming to spread awareness and destigmatize mental illnesses.
Cooper Noriega explained that his eventual goal was to open a rehab where no one is "traumatized" and the staff members are "trusted people." Concluding the candid message shared on Instagram as a screenshot, he stated:
"(The discord) is meant to bring us all together and create a safe space where people can vent and help others through their tough times."
Shortly before his death, the social media star posted an eerie video of himself on TikTok that hinted at the fears of dying young, with the caption:
"Who else b thinking they gon die young af."
Cooper Noriega's family starts Coop's Advice Foundation to pay tribute to the TikTok star
Following the TikToker's demise, his family initiated the Coop's Advice Foundation in an effort to spread awareness and support for mental health, especially among the younger generation. Speaking about its goals, in an Instagram post shared on Cooper's profile, the team wrote:
"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."
In October, the family and team revealed that they raised more than $85,000 for the organization towards their goal.
