14 DAY TRIAL // When actress Brittany Murphy collapsed in the bathroom of her home and then passed away at only 32 years of age, initial reports said her death may have had something with her alleged drug use or even her unhealthy lifestyle. Five months later, her husband, screenwriter Simon Monjack, also collapsed, went into cardiac arrest and died in the same bathroom. The two deaths may be connected, TMZ writes.
According to the celebrity gossip website and paparazzi agency, there are rumors that mold may have played an important part in the death of the two stars. Both had pneumonia at the time they passed away but neither noticed any improvement with medication. Investigators noticed there was mold in the house when they came to pick up Murphy’s body, but it was later discarded as a contributing factor. When Monjack too passed away, the issue emerged again but, this time, it was Brittany’s mother who no longer wanted them to pursue it.
“The investigation into Brittany Murphy and Simon Monjack’s deaths is now being handled by the Department of Public Health, TMZ has learned... and it’s all because of mold found in their home. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the issue of mold in the house came up early during the investigation into Brittany’s death – but it was deemed ‘not to be a contributing factor’,” TMZ writes.
“Then when Simon passed away a few months later, we’re told the issue came up again – but Brittany’s mom, Sharon, wouldn’t let the LA County Coroner’s Office in to investigate the mold. Now, we’re told, Sharon has agreed to let Public Health investigators into the home. Mold could be relevant to Simon and Brittany’s respiratory health. Pneumonia was a cause of death for both of them. We’re also told Simon’s mother, Linda Monjack is fully supportive of this move, and will be flying from Europe so she can be close to the investigation,” the same media outlet writes.
As we also reported a while back, shortly after Monjack died too, it emerged that he also had a heart condition and was making preparations to have a bypass. He was also depressed, having been unable to recover from his wife’s tragic passing, and was self-medicating for pneumonia.
Follow me on Twitter @ElenaGorgan