Natasha Richardson Died of Epidural Hematoma After Skiing Accident.British Actress' Family and Friends 'Devastated by the Tragic Death of Their Beloved Natasha'.
Natasha Richardson's death was indeed caused by her fall on a Canadian ski slope.
The New York City Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on the Tony Award-winning actress today. She died Wednesday at age 45. The office ruled her death accidental, citing the cause as an epidural hematoma due to a blunt impact to the head.
Funeral arrangements for Richardson will be handled by New York City's Greenwich Village Funeral Home.
Richardson's husband, actor Liam Neeson, and family members were by her side when she died. Her death was announced in a statement released Wednesday evening by Neeson's publicist.
"Liam Neeson, his sons and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha," the statement said. "They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."
With a gracious wave, Neeson returned to his New York City home late Wednesday night, cameras shuttering all around him, ABC News' Sharyn Alfonsi reported.
Richardson fell Monday at the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. She initially appeared fine and joked about the fall, but the ski patrol insisted she see a doctor. Richardson declined, the resort said in a statement Tuesday.
On Wednesday, a Canadian newspaper reported that an ambulance was dispatched to the resort right after the accident, but the paramedics were told they were not needed and left.
"They never saw the patient," Yves Coderre, the operations manager for the ambulance service, told the Globe and Mail. "So they turned around."
"When you have a head trauma you can bleed. It can deteriorate in a few hours or a few days," Coderre added. "People don't realize it can be very serious. We warn them they can die and sometimes they start to laugh. They don't take it seriously."
Richardson later complained of a headache and another ambulance was called to take her to the hospital. She was later transferred to Hôpital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal before being flown to New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital Tuesday, where her relatives rushed to her side.
Original Source : http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/story?id=7119825&page=1
