Coroner: Amy Winehouse Died at Five Times Legal Alcohol Limit

Singer had resumed drinking after a period of abstinence

Amy Winehouse drank herself to death by consuming five times the legal limit of alcohol before she died, a coroner announced Wednesday.

The Associated Press reported that British coroner Suzanne Greenaway classified Winehouse's passing as "death by misadventure," and said she was killed by alcohol poisoning. "The unintended consequence of such potentially fatal levels [of alcohol] was her sudden and unexpected death," Greenaway said.

Also read: Amy Winehouse: 'I'll Be Dead in a Ditch, on Fire'

Winehouse was found dead July 23 at age 27 in bed at her London home. She had recently resumed drinking after a period of abstinence.

Pathologist Suhail Baithun said the level of alcohol in the singer's blood put her more than five times over the legal drunk-driving limit, the AP reported.

Winehouse's doctor, Dr. Christina Romete, said the singer had started drinking again days before her death. She said she saw Winehouse the night before she died and that she was "tipsy but calm" and had talked about her upcoming birthday. She said the "Back in Black" singer had been prescribed the sedative Librium to deal with alcohol withdrawal, but the coroner said it was not a factor in her death.

Winehouse family spokesman Chris Goodman said the family was relieved "to finally find out what happened to Amy."

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