TikTok star Cooper Noriega's cause of death revealed
LOS ANGELES - TikTok star Cooper Noriega's cause of death has been revealed six months after he died less than three weeks before his 20th birthday.
The body of the 19-year-old influencer was found in a Burbank parking lot on June 9.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner determined that Noriega died due to the combined effects of fentanyl, lorazepam, which is used to treat anxiety, and alprazolam, also known as Xanax. The coroner also noted his recent use of clonazepam, another anxiety medicine, as a "significant contributor" to his death.
Noriega's death was ruled an accident.
Hours before he was found dead, Noriega posted a video on TikTok, where he now has over 3 million followers, with the caption, "Who else b thinking they gon die young af."
"There are no words to express the grief and loss. It's not supposed to be this way. Your child is not supposed to pass before his parents. Cooper has touched so many people.. My boy was a believer and I know he is in the presence of God. Thank you everyone. I love you all," his father Harold wrote in a tribute after his passing.
Noriega's mother Treva wrote in part, "My heart is forever broken."
"..your my special angel and we have each other's hearts," she wrote. "I know my mom was holding her arms out bringing you to Heaven. You are finally experiencing the most pure joy and happiness. I'll see you one day my baby boy… your momma."
Noriega had been open about his struggles with mental illness and substance abuse.
"I’ve been struggling with addiction since I was 9 years old, you may think that’s crazy but that’s the life I’ve been dealt," Cooper wrote via Instagram earlier this month. "I would like to use the influence I’ve been given to create a space built on spreading awareness and normalizing talking about mental illness."
On June 5, Noriega shared a TikTok video announcing that he was starting a group to talk about their experiences with mental health on Discord, a messaging platform.
He added, "One of the many things I’ve learned while struggling with addiction was that surrounding yourself with negative people will only bring you down. For that reason, Discord is meant to bring us all together and create a safe space where people can vent and help others through their tough times."
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line). As of July 2022, those searching for help can also call 988 to be relayed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.