Courtesy of Cooper Noriega/Instagram
Cooper Noriega’s cause of death has been revealed six months after his death at age 19.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, the teenager died from “combined effects of alprazolam, fentanyl and lorazepam.” The investigation also found evidence of “recent clonazepam use.”
The social media star was found dead in a parking lot on June 9. His passing came after fans began wondering about his well-being when the Barstool Sports “BFF’s Podcast” account posted about “devastating news” on Twitter. “RIP Cooper Noriega,” they wrote on June 10. “Life is fragile. Enjoy every minute.” Noriega had appeared on the podcast just one week before his death was confirmed.
Following the news, an outpouring of grief and shock came from fans mourning the teen’s tragic passing. His family also broke their silence on the loss, sharing their respective statements via social media.
“Hi everyone. On behalf of our family we want to thank you all for the kind words of our little coop,” Cooper’s sister, Parker Noriega, wrote in a June 11 statement shared to the late influencer’s Instagram. “His passing is an absolute tragedy to our family and loved ones. We pray that we all as a community can continue on his legacy. He loved each and everyone [sic] of you. Please feel free to reach out to us as we love feeling all the support. Bless you all… with love, his sister.”
Cooper was also honored by his father, Harold Noriega, who noted what an “incredibly difficult time” it has been for the family. “We lost our beautiful 19-year-old Cooper last evening,” he wrote via Facebook. “He was loved by so many and truly the love of Treva’s, Parker’s and my life.”
He added: “There are no words to express the grief and loss. It’s not supposed to be this way. Your child is not supposed to pass before his parents. Cooper has touched so many people. … My boy was a believer and I know he is in the presence of God. Thank you everyone. I love you all.”
Courtesy of Cooper Noriega/Instagram
Noriega had previously opened up to his fans about his battles with substance abuse and mental illness. On June 5, he revealed via Instagram that he made a Discord server for “mental health strictly,” explaining he had been “struggling with addiction” since he was 9 years old.
“You may think that’s crazy but that’s the life I’ve been dealt,” he shared, adding how he wanted to “create a space built on spreading awareness and normalizing talking about mental illness. My goal is to eventually open a rehab where people aren’t traumatized at the end of their recovery, and where the staff members are trusted people.”
He concluded: “One of the many things I’ve learned while struggling with addiction was that surrounding yourself with negative people will only bring you down. For that reason, Discord is meant to bring us all together and create a safe space where people can vent and help others through their tough times.”