Whitney Houston's Death: The Details Behind Her Sudden Passing 13 Years Ago

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty

Whitney Houston’s unmistakable voice and careerleft a major impacton the music industry, which she exited suddenly and tragically.

The singer died on Feb. 11, 2012, the day before theGrammy Awards, when she accidentally drowned in a hotel room. She left behind daughterBobbi Kristina Brown, who would die three years later at the age of 22.

The music icon’s legacy was immortalized in the 2022 biopicI Wanna Dance With Somebody. At the time the movie was released, actress Naomi Ackle, who played Houston, told PEOPLE that she hoped the singer would have been happy with the way she was portrayed.

“I would hope she would be like, ‘OK, Nai, you did a thing!’ " Ackle said. “Also,she might have loads of notesand I’d just be like, ‘Great — let’s do another one. Direct me and we can do it again.’ "

In December 2024, Houston’s former bodyguard, David Roberts, told theDaily Mailthat the time he spent with the singer left such an impact on him that he was once tempted to “give up everything” to change their relationship. Instead, he chose to keep her safety his top priority, and as a reminder of her, he’s held onto a note that Houston wrote him more than 35 years ago.

‘It was [on] a Post-it note and she pushed it under the door of my room at the Regency Hotel in Hong Kong in 1988. I still have it — it’s rather faded with time but still precious to me,” said Roberts, whose relationship with Houston loosely inspired the 1992 movieThe Bodyguard.

Here are all the details of her sudden passing, as well as the legacy she left behind.

How did Whitney Houston die?

Whitney Houston.Scott Gries/ImageDirect

Houston’s death was ruled as an accidental drowning with contributing factors of heart disease and cocaine use, according to the 42-pagecoroner’s report.

The toxicology report found that “cocaine and metabolites” contributed to her passing. Other substances found in her body included marijuana, Xanax (anti-anxiety medication), Benadryl (allergy medication) and Flexeril (muscle relaxer), but they did not contribute to her death.

Coroner assistant chief Ed Winter shared with PEOPLE two potential scenarios about the circumstances of her death: “She could’ve passed out first due to the intoxication from the cocaine, or she could’ve had a heart attack and then drowned. It’s probably one of those two scenarios.”

When did Whitney Houston die?

Houston died on Feb. 11, 2012. Her official time of death was at 3:55 p.m.

Where did Whitney Houston die?

Christopher Evans/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty

Houstonwas found unresponsiveand submerged in her bathtub inside Suite 434 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

How old was Whitney Houston when she died?

The singer was 48 years old at the time of her passing.

What were Whitney Houston’s last words?

Michael Zagaris/Getty

Two days before her death on February 9, Houston visited singersBrandyandMonicawith Clive Davis during their rehearsals for the music executive’s party on February 11. Later that day, Houston made her last public performance singing “Jesus Loves Me” on stage withKelly Pricein Hollywood at a pre-Grammys party.

How did the public react to Whitney Houston’s death?

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Davis, Houston’s friend and mentor,still hosted his pre-Grammy partyin the Beverly Hilton hotel on the evening of Feb. 11, despite the singer’s bodyremaining inside the buildinguntil 12:45 a.m. At the start of the event, he shared a tribute to Houston: “By now you have all learned of the unspeakably tragic news of our beloved Whitney’s passing. I don’t have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends.”

In the days after Houston’s death, dozens of her friends and colleaguesshared tributes to the late singer. “She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth,” wroteMariah Careyon Twitter.

“To me Whitney was THE VOICE. We got to hear a part of God every time she sang. Heart is heavy, spirit grateful for the GIFT of her,” saidOprah Winfrey. Other stars that shared messages of support includedTony Bennett,Smokey Robinson,Toni Braxtonand more.

What legacy did Whitney Houston leave behind?

Suzie Gibbons/Redferns

Even a decade after her passing, Houston is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time. Her influence on the music industry and overall culture is undeniable — as one of the best-selling musical artists ever, shecontinues to inspire moviesand documentaries, posthumous music releases and charitable work.

source: people.com