The medical examiner has ruled that Heath Ledger’s death is an “accident,” resulting from the “abuse of prescription medications.”

CNN

UPDATE: The NYC medical examiner has finished the toxicology report following the death of Heath Ledger, and has just ruled that the actor’s death was caused by “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine.”

The NYPD found five medications in Ledger’s apartment after his death, including anti-anxiety medications alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). The sleeping medication zopiclone (Lunesta) and the sedative temazepam (Restoril) — which is used by people with “debilitating insomnia” — were also found. Doxylamine is an antihistamine used in the short-term treatment of insomnia.

TMZ

UPDATE: Heath Ledger’s father, Kim, has released the below statement following the news of the late actor’s cause of death:

We remain humble as parents and a family, among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child. Few can understand the hollow, wrenching, and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them. Today’s results put an end to speculation, but our son’s beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts.

While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath’s accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage.

Our family enjoyed an extremely happy two week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year. Those recent precious days will stay with us forever. We as a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film. To most of the world Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise. To those who knew him personally, Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography, music, chess and directing. We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend.

We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda (to our dear Michelle) as well as an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends, forever, around the world. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet. This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful.

At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately, without the intrusions associated with press and photography.

Holding daughter Matilda, Michelle Williams arrived in Perth, Australia, Wednesday for Heath Ledger’s funeral.

Sources say it is her love for their 2-year-old daughter that is providing the strength as she mourns the late actor’s untimely death.

“Michelle was always really vulnerable, so this has shaken her quite a bit,” a friend of Williams tells Us Weekly in its latest issue, on newsstands now. “She’s mourning and trying to figure out what to do next.”

Matilda, though, “is too young” to know the heartbreaking reason why her father isn’t around anymore.

“Michelle and the family are showering Matilda with love right now to cushion it so she isn’t really aware,” a source close the family tells Us Weekly in the newest issue.

The source adds: “Michelle basically told Matilda, ‘Daddy went away.’ Matilda still doesn’t grasp it.”

Matilda, who was often seen around New York City on Ledger’s shoulders before his shocking January 22 death, “looks just like her father,” a friend close to Williams told Us.

Her mother agrees.

“All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day,” Williams, 27, said in a statement Friday. “His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals and takes steps two at a time, and we know that he is with us still.”

That is so sad.

Source

The New York Chief Medical Examiner’s office announced Monday that we should expect the autopsy results in the tragic death of Heath Ledger within 48 hours.

“We’re expecting something in the next two days,” Ellen Borakove, director of public affairs at the New York Chief Medical Examiner’s office said.

We’re hoping that this can bring some closure to Heath’s family and friends.

Heath Ledger’s family made a sad return to Australia, heading toward their hometown for a private funeral for the actor, according to an Australian news report.

The family – including his father Kim, mother Sally, and elder sister, Kate – arrived in Brisbane on Tuesday morning local time after a flight from Los Angeles, according to the Australian Associated Press.

Their arrival comes two weeks after the death of Ledger, whose body was found in his Manhattan apartment. No cause of death has been determined. Authorities are awaiting the results of a toxicology report.

The family, which was expected to continue to their hometown of Perth, had spent more than a week in Los Angeles attending memorial services for the actor.

On Saturday, friends and celebrity colleagues – including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Sienna Miller, Ellen DeGeneres and director Todd Haynes – gathered on the Sony lot in Culver City to remember Ledger.

The memorial came a week after relatives and close friends paid tribute to the 28-year-old actor at a smaller service at an L.A. cemetery.

According to Australian newspaper reports, Ledger is expected to be buried in a family plot with two of his grandparents at Perth’s Karrakatta Cemetery.

The NY Post reports that Heath Ledger locked himself in a London hotel for six weeks to prepare for his dark role in the upcoming Batman film. The late star became compulsive about perfecting every nuisance of the twisted Joker, coming up with different voices and laughs — he even kept a journal on what went on inside the mind of the character.

Meanwhile, friends and family of Heath Ledger — including Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Sienna Miller, and Ellen DeGeneres — gathered yesterday at the Sony lot in L.A. for a memorial service for the late actor, reports People.

Michelle Williams is speaking out for the first time since ex Heath Ledger’s untimely death January 22.

“Please respect our need to grieve privately. My heart is broken,” Williams, 27, said in a statement released on Friday by Ledger’s rep, Reuters reports.

“I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father,” Williams continued in her statement.

“All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day.

“His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals, and takes steps two at a time, and we know that he is with us still.

“She will be brought up with the best memories of him,” Williams’ statement concluded.

When Williams first learned about his tragic death, “she cried and screamed as soon as she heard,” a source on the Swedish set of her latest film, Mammoth, reports.

Source

I hope it’s worth it! Sheesh.

Entertainment Tonight and The Insider have purchased exclusive rights to tragic video footage of Heath Ledger allegedly snorting cocaine at a party two years ago.

The footage, which PageSix.com hears was bought for $200,000, was shot without Heath’s knowledge, at the Chateau Marmont hotel in L.A. following the SAG awards on January 29, 2006.

In the video, Heath is shown talking while at a private party after sniffing a cocaine-like substance off a table with a rolled up bill in his hand. As he speaks, his face noticeably twitches.

An insider tells PageSix.com that Heath says at one point, “I’m gonna get so much sh*t from my girlfriend. We have a baby together… Matilda, Matilda Rose.”

ET and The Insider planned to show the clip later this week. PageSix.com understands this is now “under review.”

Page Six

UPDATE: ET has released the following statement…

Out of respect for Heath Ledger’s family, “Entertainment Tonight” has decided not to run the Heath Ledger video being released to the world media today.

Please credit a Spokesperson for “Entertainment Tonight.”

Out of respect for Heath Ledger’s family!?!!?!? YEAH RIGHT!!! If they had respected Heath Ledger’s family in the first place - they wouldn’t have spent $200,000 on securing the rights to the footage! They just probably got so much sh*t for stooping to such a low. I predict someone’s getting fired over this one!