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             Reports: Pop Artist Prince Died of Painkiller Overdose

   by VOA News

   Tests are indicating that U.S. pop star Prince died of an overdose of
   opioid painkillers before he was to meet with an addiction counselor,
   according to media reports.

   The musician's hometown newspaper, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and
   other news outlets carried the story, quoting unnamed sources.

   Prince, whose real name was Prince Rogers Nelson, was found dead at his
   Paisley Park mansion outside Minneapolis on April 21.

   Prince had been treated for painkiller overdose and addiction concerns
   in the days leading up to his death.  Police records show he met with a
   family practitioner the day before he died.

   Additionally, sources close to Prince had reached out to Dr. Howard
   Kornfeld, a California addiction specialist, seeking help for the
   entertainer. Kornfeld was not able to travel to Minnesota at that time,
   so his son, Andrew, who works with him, went instead.  The younger
   Kornfeld took a red eye flight from California the night of April 20
   with the goal of meeting with the singer the next day.

   Prince was found dead in an elevator at the mansion the morning of
   April 21.  He was 57 years old.

   Earlier reports said Prince had the painkiller Percocet in his system
   when he died.  Percocet is a mix of acetaminophen and oxycodone.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/prince-painkiller-overdose-reported/3
   359064.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/prince-painkiller-overdose-reported/3359064.html