The girlfriend of Darius Campbell Danesh, who passed away in August 2022 at the age of 41, has apparently shed light on his cause of death.
VT reported last year that the Scottish Pop Idol star died from "inhalation of chloroethane," a fact confirmed by autopsy documents that highlighted the "toxic effects of chloroethane" and "suffocation."
However, Danesh's girlfriend, Lauren Cheek, recently disclosed that he also had an undiagnosed heart condition.
Cheek revealed that Danesh's heart had enlarged to double its normal size, a condition he wasn't aware of. The singer's mother reportedly told Cheek about this after the autopsy. Cheek suggested the combination of the substance and his heart condition led to his untimely death.
She told The Sun: "Darius was living with this heart condition that he didn’t know he had."
Danesh was also living with a broken neck resulting from a car accident with actor Gerard Butler in 2010, which he allegedly never treated adequately. Cheek claims that Danesh used chloroethane for pain relief as he was averse to taking pills, even aspirin.
He was in Minnesota visiting Butler at the time of his death. Butler and others didn't learn of his passing until three days later, leading to some concerns about how the situation was managed.
Danesh gained popularity for his covers of popular songs during his stint on Pop Idol in 2002, where he placed third. He subsequently enjoyed a successful solo career, including a number one hit in the UK with his track 'Colourblind.'
Lauren Cheek is launching a new podcast, Grieving Back to Life, in memory of Danesh, set to release on August 19, which would have been his 43rd birthday.
A statement from Danesh's family at the time of his death read: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh.
"Darius was found unresponsive in bed in his apartment room in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 11 and was pronounced dead in the afternoon by the local medical examiners' office."
Chloroethane - also known as ethyl chloride - is often used as a topical anesthetic for injections and minor surgery. It is also found in other pharmaceuticals, plastics, and dyes.
Following the medical examiner's report, the singer's family has released a statement and provided an explanation for Campbell Danesh's use of chloroethane.
The statement read: "The results of medical examinations have confirmed that Darius’s death was an accident caused by chloroethane, which is used to treat pain and that tragically lead to respiratory arrest. Darius was suffering from chronic neck pain following a car accident in 2010.
"We would like to thank everyone for their love and kindness, and ask that the family’s privacy is maintained during this difficult time."
