No medical cause was given in the death of Sinead O’Connor and an autopsy will be carried out, London Inner South Coroner’s Court said on Thursday (27 July).
The result of the autopsy may not be available for several weeks, according to a statement on the court website.
The coroner was notified of the death on Wednesday (26 July), after police found the Grammy-winning singer unresponsive at a home in south London.
The death of the Irish star at the age of 56 is not being treated as suspicious.
The statement from the court said: “The death of Sinead O’Connor in Lambeth was notified to the coroner on Wednesday July 26 2023.
“No medical cause of death was given. The coroner therefore directed an autopsy to be conducted. The results of this may not [be] available for several weeks.
“The decision whether an inquest will be needed will be decided when these results are known and submissions have been heard from the family.
“If an inquest is to be opened, the date of the brief public hearing will be provided on our website.”
— (PA Wire)
Police were called to a house in Herne Hill on Wednesday, where O’Connor was pronounced dead.
She had recently returned to the city after a long absence.
Tributes have poured in for the Grammy-winning Irish singer, who was propelled to international stardom in 1990 with her version of the hit ballad Nothing Compares 2 U.
The cover of the Prince ballad topped charts around the world, but O’Connor always wanted to be a protest singer rather than a pop star and over the years she became well-known for being outspoken about her social and political views.
She sparked controversy and made headlines in 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on US TV show Saturday Night Live, sparking a ferocious backlash.
The musician, who spent time in a notorious Magdalene laundry, set up to house “fallen women”, frequently spoke out about the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
She was later ordained as a priest by a bishop from an independent Catholic group and announced that she wanted to be known as Mother Bernadette Mary.
In 2018 she announced that she had converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada’ Davitt, later Shuhada Sadaqat.
The singer also spoke openly about suffering from mental health problems and, during an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007, she said she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had suffered with suicidal thoughts.
She told Winfrey that medication had helped her find more balance, but said it was “a work in progress”.
In January 2022, her 17-year-old son Shane was found dead after being reported missing two days earlier.
Tributes have poured in from around the world following her death, with musicians, artists and politicians sharing how much she meant to them.
Kate Bush wrote on her website: “It’s like a light has gone out, hasn’t it? A beacon on a high mountain.
“Sinead didn’t just move us with her incredibly emotive voice, she stood up with it.
“I salute her. We were lucky to have such a magical presence move among us.”
