Autopsy shows Bob Saget had multiple skull fractures, COVID-19 when he died

Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Orange County Medical Examiner's Office in Florida has confirmed a statement by Bob Saget's family revealing the comedian died of a catastrophic head injury last month.

"It is in my opinion that the death of Robert Saget, a 65-year-old white male found unresponsive in a hotel room, is the result of blunt head trauma," Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Joshua D. Stephany wrote in his autopsy report, which was released to the public Thursday, a day after Saget's survivors announced the cause of death.

"It is the most probable that the decedent suffered an unwitnessed fall backwards and struck the posterior aspect of his head. The manner of death is accident," Stephany added.

The document also said Saget had fractures around his eyes and posterior scalp abrasions, tested positive for COVID-19 and had an enlarged heart, which was 95 percent blocked on one side.

No alcohol or illegal drugs were found in his system, but there were traces of the antidepressant Trazodone and Clonazepam/Klonopin, which is taken for seizures, panic disorders and anxiety.

"This report shows that the [skull and] brain suffered trauma which led to skull fractures, bruising of the brain and actual bleeding in the space around the brain. This blood can compress the brain and cause death. The coroner determined that this trauma was most likely caused by an accidental fall backward," Dr. Roshini Raj, an Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone Health, told People.com.

"The head hits something hard and the skull fractures in different places including the orbits (the part of the skull around the eyes) and that causes bleeding which compresses the brain. The force of the hit on the head can also directly bruise and damage the brain."

Saget was a popular standup comic, who also starred on the sitcoms Full House and Fuller House, and hosted America's Funniest Home Videos.