Authorities are investigating Anne Burrell’s sudden death as a possible drug overdose, according to The New York Times.
The 55-year-old Food Network star was found dead in the shower of her Brooklyn home on Tuesday, June 17. Per an internal NYPD report obtained by the Times, Burrell was discovered “unconscious and unresponsive” surrounded by approximately 100 assorted pills.
A spokesperson for the NYPD confirmed to PEOPLE that emergency responders arrived on the scene but were unable to revive her. The New York City Fire Department’s 911 call report noted the caller believed Burrell may have suffered cardiac arrest.
Although an autopsy has been completed, the official cause and manner of death remain pending, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
In her final weeks, Burrell spent time with friends and family and continued her efforts to support others. Her sudden passing has left the culinary world in shock.
Fellow chef and longtime Food Network colleague Duff Goldman shared that, behind her lively on-screen persona, Burrell had been facing personal emotional struggles—something she rarely let show to the public.
