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Anne Heche’s death has been ruled an accident, more than a week after suffering serious injuries in a fiery Los Angeles car crash, city records show.
Heche, 53, died from inhalation and thermal injuries, according to records from the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. She also suffered a sternal fracture due to blunt trauma, the records stated. The day of her death was listed as Aug. 11.
The actress was declared brain dead on the night of Aug. 11 but was kept on life support for organ donation, and her heart was still beating, her representative said. She was peacefully taken off life support on Sunday, her representative said.
Actor Anne Heche poses at Variety’s 4th annual Power of Women event in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2012.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, FILE
Heche was alone in her car on Aug. 5 when she crashed into a home in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, engulfing her car and the house in flames, according to Los Angeles police and fire officials. No one else was injured in the single-car crash, and the home’s resident and her pets were able to escape the blaze unharmed.
She suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and was in a coma in critical condition following the crash, her family and friends said in a statement.
Heche was not expected to survive her injuries, her family said, noting that it “has long been her choice to donate her organs,” her family said.
Results from a blood draw completed after the crash showed Heche had narcotics in her system, but additional tests were being run to determine more about the drugs, and to rule out which ones may have been present based on drugs administered at the hospital, according to the Los Angeles Police Department,
Investigators told ABC News no alcohol was detected in Heche’s blood sample, though the blood draw was many hours after the crash.
LAPD investigators told ABC News on Aug. 12 that the criminal investigation had ended due to the latest developments in her condition.
Heche is survived by her two sons.
“My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom,” her oldest son, Homer, said in a statement Friday. “After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness. Hopefully my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom.”
“Rest In Peace Mom, I love you,” he said.
ABC News’ Alex Stone and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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