Chyna (Joan Marie Laurer) died from an accidental overdose caused by a combination of alcohol and several prescription drugs.

What happened

  • Chyna was found dead at home in Redondo Beach, California, on April 20, 2016, at age 46.
  • An autopsy later determined she had died a few days earlier, on April 17, before her body was discovered.
  • Her death was officially ruled an accidental overdose rather than suicide or foul play.

Cause of death details

  • Toxicology reports showed a mix of alcohol with prescription medications including diazepam (Valium), nordiazepam, temazepam (a sleeping aid), and the painkillers oxycodone and oxymorphone.
  • The combination of these substances created a lethal polydrug overdose, affecting her central nervous system and breathing.
  • The coroner’s office classified the cause as “mixed drug intoxication” with alcohol, consistent with an accidental polydrug overdose.

Context and background

  • Chyna had a documented history of struggles with alcohol use and dependence on prescription medications, as noted by family and reports.
  • Her manager became worried after she stopped posting on social media and found her unresponsive in bed when he went to check on her.
  • She was remembered as a groundbreaking women’s wrestling star who helped put women’s wrestling in the mainstream during the late 1990s.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.