‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ Star Amanda Peterson Died From ‘Acute Morphine Toxicity,’ Coroner Says

Actress was found dead in her Colorado home in July

A Colorado coroner’s report released to TheWrap Wednesday said “Can’t Buy Me Love” star Amanda Peterson died from “accidental acute morphine toxicity.”

The star’s body was discovered in her Colorado apartment on July 5, two days after she died. Her family had speculated that sleep apnea was responsible for her death at age 43. But the Weld County coroner’s office confirmed that Peterson died from an accidental overdose.

Her mother Sylvia had previously asserted that Peterson was clean and sober. Yet the beloved ’80s actress had a long struggle with substance abuse.

Peterson was reportedly arrested four times over the past two decades in her hometown of Greeley, Colorado, most recently on a May 2012 DUI and drug paraphernalia charge.

Booking photos of the actress taken in 2000, 2003 and 2005 showed a significant departure from the fresh faced beauty who played opposite Patrick Dempsey in the romantic comedy — and one photo even showed her with two black eyes.

“This was not, in any way, a drug thing,” Peterson’s mother said at the time of her daughter’s death.

In the days following her death, Dempsey tweeted, “in my memory, she will always be vibrant and young. Gone too soon. Sending my thoughts and prayers to Amanda’s family.”

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