Medics Didn’t Give Anne Burrell Narcan at Scene, Police Report Says
A police report says medics did not give anne burrell the opioid antidote Narcan when they arrived at her Brooklyn home because she was already dead, a detail included in the file released months after her death and tied to an official ruling that her death was a suicide.
Anne Burrell was found by her husband at 7: 40 a. m. in Brooklyn
The report states that Burrell’s husband, Stuart Claxton, found her face-up on the shower floor of a bathroom in their Brooklyn residence at 7: 40 a. m. on June 17. Emergency responders entered the home and pronounced her dead at 8 a. m., the report says.
Police report lists medications, notes and the medical examiner’s finding
Officers discovered “numerous over-the-counter medications mixed in a bowl” near Burrell’s body, the report says, and investigators later found a suicide note in the primary bedroom plus journal entries described as “suicidal” on a bed in the same room. The NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the official manner of death was suicide and the cause as “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine and amphetamine. ”
The report says medics did not attempt to revive Burrell with naloxone (Narcan) because she was already beyond help when emergency crews arrived at the scene, and therefore the antidote was not administered.
Family statements and Burrell’s television legacy
Burrell was 55 at the time of her death and was known for hosting shows including "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and "Worst Cooks in America. " Her family issued a statement calling her “a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered. Anne’s light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world. ”
The report and subsequent statements note that Claxton told investigators Burrell had never attempted suicide in the past and had not spoken about doing so, and that he discovered her unresponsive and immediately called 911.
A police-file review in late February added these details to the public record; investigators later confirmed the medical examiner’s ruling that the death was a suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available — call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline. org.
