TikTok star Cooper Noriega died from "combined effects" of multiple substances, including fentanyl, coroner says
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's office has confirmed the cause of death for Cooper Noriega, a young TikTok star whose body was found over the summer in a California parking lot. According to the report, the 19-year-old's death was caused by the "combined effects" of multiple substances.
The report said that Noriega's death was an accident after he consumed three substances: fentanyl, alprazolam and lorazepam. The two latter substances are used to treat anxiety and depression, while fentanyl has contributed to "an unpredictable pace" of overdose deaths in the state since about 2016.
Though not listed as a cause of his death, the coroner said he had also recently used clonazepam, a medication for the prevention and control of seizures.
Noriega was found dead in Burbank, California, in mid-June.
The autopsy results paint a picture of the young social media star and model, who quickly rose to TikTok popularity. From his first post in June 2020 to his last on June 9 this year, he acquired more than 3.2 million followers, with dozens of his videos amassing millions of views.
Among other things, Noriega was known for being upfront about his struggles with addiction and mental illness. In one of his last posts on Instagram, published on June 5, Noriega announced he had made a Discord channel for people to discuss their own similar battles in a "safe space."
"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," he wrote in the Discord channel. "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."
He went on to say that he hoped to one day open a rehab center that would ensure "people aren't traumatized at the end of their recovery."
Following his sudden death, his family created a foundation in his honor to continue that work, called The Coop's Advice Foundation, to help change how "society understands and addresses mental health and addiction." The group has already donated thousands of dollars to End Overdose, a nonprofit that seeks to raise public awareness about drug-related overdose deaths and help provide medical intervention.
"The Foundation will continue to pursue Cooper's unique vision through a combination of social and physical mental health experiences, organized community events, and innovative approaches toward using social influence to power a mental health movement," the foundation said on Instagram.