TikTok star Cooper Noriega tragically died at just 19 years old on June 9, 2022, J-14 confirmed. More than six months later, in December of that same year, his cause of death was revealed. Keep reading for more details on Cooper’s passing.
How Did Cooper Noriega Die?
According to TMZ, law enforcement received a 911 call from a person who discovered Noriega unconscious in a parking lot of a mall outside of Los Angeles. Paramedics then arrived shortly afterward but were not able to revive him, the outlet reported. There were no signs of trauma and no foul play is suspected, but an autopsy will be performed.
Initially, his cause of death was under investigation, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner online records. However, J-14 confirmed that his cause of death was from combined effects of alprazolam, fentanyl and lorazepam use.
Only hours before his tragic death, Noriega shared an eerie message via TikTok, writing, “Who else b thinking they gon [die] young af [sic],” alongside a shot of him lying on a white pillow.
Just four days prior, the young TikToker shared with his fans in an Instagram post that he had been “struggling with addiction since [he] was 9 years old.” In his caption, Noriega invited his followers to join his “Discord for mental health.”
“You may think that’s crazy, but that’s the life I’ve been dealt [sic],” he penned in the lengthy note. “I would like to use the incidence I’ve been given to create a space built on spreading awareness and normalizing talking about mental illness.”
Noriega then revealed that he planned to “eventually open a rehab where people aren’t traumatized at the end of their recovery, and where the staff members are trusted people.”
“One of the many things I’ve learnt [sic] while struggling with addiction was that surrounding yourself with negative people will only bring you down,” he continued. “For that reason, this discord is meant to bring us all together and create a safe space where people can vent and help others through their tough times.”
What Did Fellow Influencers Say About Cooper Noriega’s Death?
Several social media influencers and friends flooded the comments section after news of Noriega’s death broke. In one comment, Taylor Caniff vowed to “build this rehab in [Noriega’s] honor,” whereas Anthony Reeves wrote Noriega was his “best friend.”
The Internet personality got his start as an influencer after his follower count dramatically blew up on TikTok. He was also romantically linked to fellow TikToker Sabrina Quesada from October 2020 to April. That month, Quesada revealed via her Instagram Stories that they had gone their separate ways.
“Hi guys, me and Cooper are no longer together and would appreciate some privacy during this time,” she wrote at the time. “Neither of us did anything so please don’t make any assumptions. It was a mutual decision. We’re just young, and sometimes, things just don’t work out the way you want them to. I will love him forever and he will always be my best friend.”
J-14 reached out to Noriega’s reps for comment.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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