Coroner: Amy Winehouse Died From Too Much Alcohol

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Singer Amy Winehouse onstage at Koko in the London district of Camden Town on Nov. 14, 2006

Amy Winehouse’s death was a result of drinking too much alcohol, a coroner has said.

Coroner Suzanne Greenaway has given a verdict of “death by misadventure,” saying that the 27-year-old died of accidental alcohol poisoning. “The unintended consequence of such potentially fatal levels (of alcohol) was her sudden and unexpected death,” Greenaway said. An inquest was told she was more than five times the drink-drive limit (she had 416mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, and the legal limit while driving is 80mg). Three empty vodka bottles were found at her apartment, according to the St Pancras Coroners Court.

Winehouse, who had battled against drug and alcohol problems, was found dead in bed at her north London home on July 23. While an initial autopsy proved inconclusive, it found no traces of illegal drugs in her system.

(PHOTOS: The Life and Times of Amy Winehouse)

Furthermore, the court heard that Winehouse hadn’t had a drink for the majority of the three weeks leading up to July 22. Her doctor, Christina Romete, said she saw Winehouse the night before she died, describing her as “tipsy but calm.” Romete said that Winehouse hadn’t mentioned suicide, and also discussed her upcoming birthday. Romete said that Winehouse had been prescribed drugs, including the sedative Librium to help her handle the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, but the coroner said these hadn’t played a role in her death.

The Winehouse’s family spokesman, Chris Goodman, said it was a relief for them “to finally find out what happened to Amy,” adding that, “the court heard that Amy was battling hard to conquer her problems with alcohol and it is a source of great pain to us that she could not win in time.”

MORE: Amy Winehouse Becomes the Newest Member of the Forever 27 Club

Glen Levy is an Executive Producer at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @glenjl. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.