LOS ANGELES – Southern California authorities released on Thursday the cause of death of Lisa Marie Presley. She died from a small bowel obstruction, officials said, according to KTLA. Another report indicates the obstruction was created due to complications from a surgical procedure.
Presley, 54, was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital January 12 by paramedics responding to a 911 call of a woman in cardiac arrest at her home. She was later pronounced dead after reportedly complaining of stomach pain earlier in the day.
The singer, songwriter was the daughter and only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. Her death was ruled as being from natural causes, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner records.
An autopsy report that would include more details about what led to Presley’s death has not yet been released.
According to NPR, Presley died due to complications from bariatric surgery she had several years ago. The complication is a common drawback from the surgical procedure, which is a weight loss method. The Mayo Clinic says it is often done when other weight loss options haven’t worked or if a person has a serious medical condition.
No indication was made public at the time of what may have caused the medical issue.
Law Officer article, Jan. 30, 2023
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Lisa Marie Presley was on an extreme weight loss program in the months prior to her death as she sought to look her best to celebrate the “Elvis” movie during various award ceremonies. The program included a strict diet regimen as well as plastic surgery, family sources revealed to TMZ.
Sadly, there is also a dark side to the already downcast story. “What’s more … our family sources say Lisa Marie was taking opioids again — an addiction she struggled with for years,” TMZ reported.
A person with inside information told TMZ that the singer dropped 40 to 50 pounds in the six weeks leading up to the Golden Globes, which took place Jan. 10. During her appearance she looked frail and gaunt, according to the New York Post.
Presley was interviewed on the red carpet by Billy Bush. She died two days later on Jan. 12. The cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest.
Following Presley’s passing, Bush recalled his interaction with her, noting “something’s off here.”
“She was very uneven in her balance,” he told Fox LA on Jan 14. “The speech was very slow. And, definitely, when the interview was over, I turned to my producer next to me and said, ‘Something’s off here.’”
“She was cognizant. She was certainly with it, just a second slow. But she was there. She was definitely there, but just a tad off in some way,” Bush added.
On Jan. 22, Presley was laid to rest at her family’s home at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, The Post reported.
She was buried on the mansion’s grounds next to her father, Elvis Presley, and son, Benjamin Keough, who died by suicide in 2020.
