Daniel Wayne Smith

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Daniel Smith
Daniel Wayne Smith with his mother, Anna Nicole
Born January 22, 1986
Mexia, Texas, USA
Died September 10, 2006
Nassau, Bahamas

Daniel Wayne Smith (January 22, 1986–September 10, 2006) was the son of American actress and model Anna Nicole Smith, by her first husband, Billy Smith. He was born in Limestone County, Texas, USA.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Virgie Arthur, Anna Nicole's estranged mother, claims she brought up Daniel for the first six years of his life while his mother worked as a stripper in Dallas. He spent his childhood in a series of different private schools.[1] He was the stepson of J. Howard Marshall II, who his mother met at a strip club and married in 1994.

[edit] Entertainment career

At the age of 16, Daniel was featured as himself on his mother's reality television series, The Anna Nicole Show, which ran on the E! Entertainment Television channel from 2002 to 2004. The show's makeup artist remembered him as shy, and that his mother often worried that the camera crews were upsetting him.[1] He was also seen with his mother in E! True Hollywood Story.

Daniel played bit parts in two of Anna Nicole's films, Skyscraper and To the Limit. Described by Anna as a "straight A" honor student,[2] he had last been attending classes at Los Angeles Valley College in the summer of 2006.[1] He had also been working as an associate producer on her upcoming science-fiction/comedy film Illegal Aliens.[2]

[edit] Death

Daniel died while visiting his mother Anna Nicole at the maternity ward in Doctors Hospital in Nassau, Bahamas on September 10, 2006, days after she had given birth to his half-sister, Dannie Lynn Hope.[3] He was reportedly not feeling well because of a stomach ailment the previous day.[4] Anna Nicole refused to accept Daniel's death and had to be sedated after doctors had given up.[5]

According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, there were no signs of physical injury, violence, or drug paraphernalia.[6] However, authorities believe they know what killed Smith and are leaving open the possibility that criminal charges will be filed.[7] Police say that a third person, identified as Anna Nicole Smith's attorney Howard K. Stern, was in the room at the time of her son's death.[8] Stern has angrily denied allegations by Anna's mother that he was involved in Daniel's death.[9]

On September 18, Getty Images sold the last photos taken of Daniel Smith alive at his mother's bedside to In Touch Weekly, Entertainment Tonight, and The Insider for a total of at least US$650,000.[10]

On September 21, a death certificate was issued for Daniel Wayne Smith so that Anna Nicole could bury her son.[11] On October 7, Daniel's friends and family, including his father Billy Smith, gathered at the First Baptist Church of Mexia for his memorial service while Anna Nicole remained in seclusion in the Bahamas. Daniel was eulogized by his great-grandfather Gus Moser.[12]

Daniel was finally laid to rest at New Providence, Bahamas on October 19, 2006.[13]

[edit] Autopsy and investigation

On September 16, 2006, Anna Nicole Smith announced that she had hired forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht to perform a second autopsy on Daniel. Dr. Wecht is noted for having conducted the investigation of the death of Elvis Presley.[14] Wecht concluded from the second autopsy that Daniel was on prescription medication for depression. He was told by the family that the anti-depression medication was due to matters that "had to do with a girlfriend." He agreed with the Bahamian coroner who performed the first autopsy that there was no evidence that Daniel died of a "suicidal overdose" or foul play. Wecht ruled out several potential natural causes such as heart disease or stroke.[15]

On September 27, Wecht announced on CNN's Larry King Live that Daniel died from a lethal combination of Zoloft, Lexapro and methadone that led to cardiac dysrhythmia. Although he explained that methadone is used in the treatment of heroin and morphine addiction, he said he had no information to make any conclusion about why Daniel was using it.[16] Daniel's doctor in Los Angeles told Wecht that he was being "weaned off" Lexapro before he died.[4] Wecht later confirmed that Daniel also contained trace amounts of the antidepressant Amitriptyline along with over-the-counter cold medicines, but were of insignificant levels that played "no consequence" in his death.[17] On November 18, Wecht admitted that Anna Nicole Smith had failed to pay him for his work, though he did not expect to sue for compensation.[18]

Assistant Commissioner Reginald Ferguson has confirmed that the Royal Bahamian Police has completed its investigation and has sent their file to the Attorney General.[13]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Who was Daniel Wayne Smith?. Newsday. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
  2. ^ a b Anna Nicole Smith's Son Dies. Larry King Live. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.
  3. ^ Anna Nicole's Son Dies, Daughter Is Born. People. Retrieved on 2006-09-11.
  4. ^ a b What Happened to Daniel?. People. Retrieved on 2006-09-21.
  5. ^ Attorney: I'm Anna Nicole's baby's daddy. CNN. Retrieved on 2006-09-26.
  6. ^ Police: No drugs involved in death of Smith's son. CNN. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.
  7. ^ Charges possible in death of Anna Nicole Smith's son. CNN. Retrieved on 2006-09-13.
  8. ^ Lawyer: Anna Nicole Smith Forgot Son's Death. ABC News. Retrieved on 2006-09-14.
  9. ^ Stern lashes out at mum's murder claims. ContactMusic.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-17.
  10. ^ Nicole Smith's son's last pictures make her $650,000 richer. South Asian Women's Forum News. Retrieved on 2006-09-19.
  11. ^ Death Certificate Issued For Daniel Wayne Smith. The Post Chronicle. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.
  12. ^ Mexia says goodbye to celebrity son. The Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved on 2006-10-08.
  13. ^ a b Funeral Held for Anna Nicole Smith's Son. People. Retrieved on 2006-10-19.
  14. ^ Elvis' pathologist to probe Smith's son's death. CNN. Retrieved on 2006-09-17.
  15. ^ Pathologist: Anna Nicole's son on antidepressants. CNN. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
  16. ^ Pathologist: 'Classical' drug combo killed Smith's son. CNN. Retrieved on 2006-09-27.
  17. ^ More Drugs Found In Daniel Smith's System. Teen People. Retrieved on 2006-11-01.
  18. ^ Doctor hasn't been paid for Smith autopsy. MSNBC News. Retrieved on 2006-11-18.

[edit] External links

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