Opioid Overdose to Blame in Death of The Cranberries’ Lead Singer
In yet another casualty of the opioid crisis, it has been determined that Dolores O’Riordan, lead vocalist of Irish band The Cranberries, died from a deliberate fentanyl overdose. According to officials, an official toxicology report has yet to be released, the singer was found with dozens of counterfeit fentanyl patches in her bedroom. O’Riordan had previously overdosed on the painkiller in 2013 in another deliberate suicide attempt. She revealed in 2017 that she had been struggling with bipolar and depression.
Officials Believe Fentanyl Overdose Was Deliberate
O’Riordan’s death on January 15th has brought international attention to the opioid crisis, following the announcement earlier this week that musician Tom Petty suffered the same fate when he passed away in late 2017. The death of international superstar Prince in the spring of 2016 was also caused by an accidental overdose by fentanyl, considered one of the strongest opioid painkillers on the market – and one of the most dangerous.
Opioid Crisis Spreads Internationally
The singer cited “back problems” as the reasoning for cancelling the second part of The Cranberries’ 2017 European tour. It is unknown if she was abusing opiate painkillers at the time. According to family, O’Riordan had been “dreadfully depressed” in the weeks leading up to her death.
Autopsy results won’t be available until at least April but the theory was offered based on the evidence on the scene. If the official cause of death is indeed an overdose on fentanyl, O’Riordan joins the hundreds of people dying from overdoses every day across the globe. While opioid abuse is not as prevalent in Ireland, the singer’s death shows how far-reaching the crisis seems to be.
