Casey Johnson Died of Diabetes-Related Causes

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Feb 4th 2010 01:02PM

Casey Johnson's death was caused by a lack of insulin and sky-high blood sugar related to the socialite's advanced diabetes, the Los Angeles County coroner announced Thursday.

The Johnson & Johnson heiress had a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. The autopsy took place on Jan 5., a day after her body was found in her Los Angeles home.

The 30-year-old daughter of New York Jets owner Robert "Woody" Johnson lived a party life. In December, she announced her engagement to bisexual reality TV star Tila Tequila, who became increasingly outspoken following Johnson's death. Surprisingly, she has not commented on the coroner's report yet on her Twitter feed.

Johnson had been an insulin-dependent diabetic since childhood. A memorial fund in her name was set up with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Her father is chairman of that organization and co-author of the book "Managing Your Child's Diabetes."

Casey Johnson lived in a quiet neighborhood behind big wooden gates marked "Grumblenot," but she often partied with high school friend and fellow heiress Paris Hilton.

Johnson was charged last month with burglary and receiving stolen property for allegedly taking $22,000 in clothing, jewelry and other items from a friend's home. She pleaded not guilty and faced a February hearing.

She is survived by her parents, two younger sisters, and an adopted child she named Ava-Monroe, after her idol, Marilyn Monroe.

A message left for a family spokesman was not immediately returned.

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Casey Johnson Snapshots

FILE - In this Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008 file photo, Casey Johnson arrives at the grand opening of Apple Lounge in West Hollywood, Calif. Socialite Casey Johnson was already dead when an ambulance was called to her Los Angeles home, according to the woman who made the 911 call. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, file)

R-STEINBERG

Casey Johnson Snapshots

(L-R) Socialite Casey Johnson and TV personality Tila Tequila arrive at the Famous Stars and Straps 10th Anniversary and Snoop Dogg 10th Album Release at Vanguard on December 8, 2009 in Hollywood, California. Famous Stars And Straps 10th Anniversary And Snoop Dogg 10th Album Release Vanguard Hollywood, CA United States December 8, 2009 Photo by Michael Kovac/FilmMagic.com To license this image (59104907), contact FilmMagic.com

Michael Kovac/FilmMagic.com

Socialite Casey Johnson and TV personality Tila Tequila attend the party to celebrate Famous Stars & Straps 10-year anniversary and Snoop Dogg's 10th Album Release "Malice N Wonderland" at Vanguard on December 8, 2009 in Hollywood, California. Party to Celebrate Famous Stars & Straps 10-Year Anniversary and Snoop Dogg's 10th Album Release "Malice N Wonderland" Vanguard Hollywood, CA United States December 8, 2009 Photo by Michael Buckner/WireImage.com To license this image (59104299), contact WireImage.com

Michael Buckner/WireImage.com

HOLLYWOOD - DECEMBER 08: Casey Johnson attends the Famous Stars and Straps 10th Anniversary and Snoop Dogg's 10th album release "Malice N Wonderland" party at Vanguard on December 8, 2009 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Casey Johnson

Getty Images

HOLLYWOOD - DECEMBER 08: Tila Tequila (R) and Casey Johnson (L) attend the Famous Stars and Straps 10th Anniversary and Snoop Dogg's 10th album release "Malice N Wonderland" party at Vanguard on December 8, 2009 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tila Tequila;Casey Johnson

Getty Images

Comments

(26)

Friday 05 February

By antstan1

Vote down Vote up Report this

DKA(diabetic ketoacidosis) is unable to ignore. U feel like crap & have projectile vomiting. I can't understand how she could feel so bad & not get to a hospital. Drugs & alcohol affect thought process. High blood sugar makes thought process even worse. If u live with a chronic disease u r all for stem-cell research. I'd do anything (except pancreas/kidney transplant) to not have diabetes. Type I for 22 years.

Saturday 06 February

By Titangirl

Her parents killed her. They cut her off... She can no longer afford to pay for diabetic treatment.

Friday 12 February

By MedicChick

JD this is true...of course in this one particular case it can only truely be speculation. I guess I was unaware of the degree of this sort of thing. looking at her photos, this diabelemic thing is probably very true. still sad that girls and women will sacrifice thier lives, basically, to stay thin. this is what is wrong with society. We embrace the ones who are unhealthy and thin but the ones who are healthy and actually have a little eat on them get shunned. Of course we don't need to feel that bieng obese is ok. sorry about that, I'll get off of my soapbox now lol!

Tuesday 09 February

By Effects of diabetes

My advice to you is, get your eyes checked out, also, get a glucose tolerance test which will confirm a diabetes diagnosis. I can only speculate that your eye problems shouldn’t be caused by sugar levels, but this disease effects.

Monday 22 February

By ScottsdaleMom

Sorry but her parents going hard core tough love on her did NOT help her at all.
They cut Casey off from her Trust Fund with NO money. No way to pay for her electric or water bill or her rent.. Did they make sure that there was money for food and her medicine.
As a Mom NO way in HELL with all of the money they had would I go tough love on my child.. They should have made time to carefully see to it that she had all of the support she needed.
Yes try to force her into rehab.. but also make sure that all of her important bills are paid, so that she has a place to live, maids for herself, her child and pets and someone to help her cook and see to it that they were all safe.
I cannot believe that her parents just cut her off and more or less left her to die.
They said NO one heard from her since Dec 29th and she was found on Jan. 4th..
This poor little rich girl had a Mom who took the time to rescue Casey's daughter but then left her there to rott... Her Mom Sales was too busy with her new football player hubby.
I guess Dad was too busy with his 2nd wife and young sons.
These are people who are mega super rich and could have hired all the help on earth to keep their daughter Casey SAFE, and ALIVE.
SHAME on both of them. I feel truly sorry for Casey Johnson, No one should die that young. I feel sorry for her young daughter, Ava Monroe and hope that the Good Lord keeps her safe and happy.

Saturday 25 December

By Ted J

I had Type 1 Diabetes since 1984 and I am 56 and I have had DKA many times and is very hard to deal with.Hypoglycemic unawareness is a condition where no symptoms are felt when blood glucose drops to hypoglycemic levels (below 70 mg/dl). If early warning symptoms of hypoglycemia are not felt and steps are not taken to restore blood glucose to a normal level, it can drop dangerously low. A person may lose consciousness before even realizing that he or she is low.

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