As we previously reported in our story on the preliminary autopsy, Riley Strain died of an accidental drowning. Now the official report goes into more detail on what exactly happened to the late 22-year-old.
The medical examiner ruled that Strain's death was an accidental drowning. It turns out that Strain was severely intoxicated. He had a blood alcohol content of 228, nearly three times the legal limit to drive. The toxicology report also found traces of THC in Strain's system. This suggests that Strain may have ingested a weed edible prior to his death. However, they didn't find any nervous system depressants to suggest that someone drugged Strain. As a result, they believe that there was no foul play involved.
It appears that Strain died as a result of his own actions. "Riley Strain, a 22 year-old-male, died as a result of drowning and ethanol intoxication," Assistant Medical Examiner Gulpreet Singh Bowman wrote. Ethanol intoxication occurs from someone drinking too much alcohol. It's basically a clinical term for alcohol poisoning.
Previously, Strain's family considered that he might have been drugged. His mother remembered Strain complaining about one of the drinks. "He had sent me a text and said he was drinking a rum and coke and it didn't taste good," she told NewsNation on April 16. "And I said, 'Well, you probably shouldn't drink it then.' And he goes, 'It tastes like barbecue,' and I go, 'Well, that sounds awful,' and he said, 'It sounds good, but it's not.'"
Riley Strain's Death Confirmed
His stepfather said, "Maybe there was something in it that shouldn't have been."
However, the autopsy reconfirms that Strain died from accidental causes. There's no sign that he had any "foul play-related trauma." Strain went missing after leaving Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge Bar. At some point during the evening, he ended up falling into the nearby Cumberland River. Police later found his body nearly two weeks later.
In response to the support, his family is thankful.
"To the people of Nashville, I can't thank you enough for the support, the love, the encouragement that you've shown myself and my wife," his stepfather said. "It's been an emotional rollercoaster. We're quite thankful for everything that you've done for our family. The grace that you've given us, it means a lot, more than you'll ever know."
