Jamie Sangouthai’s Cause Of Death Revealed; Coroner Concludes Khloé Kardashian, Lamar Odom’s Friend Died From Bacterial Skin Infection

The Los Angeles County coroner has determined what caused Jamie Sangouthai’s untimely death. It was previously believed that the 37-year-old man died after overdosing on heroin. New reports reveal another factor.

According to TMZ, Sangouthai contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a bacterial infection that eats away at the flesh. Although the Queens, New York, native’s passing was not the result of an overdose, the site reports his infection was caused by the use of unclean needles over a long period. Sangouthai initially went to the hospital to seek treatment for an infection in his arm. The coroner reports that the bacteria spread through his body so quickly that it was too late.

Sangouthai was pronounced dead at a hospital in downtown L.A. on June 14. It was previously reported that he was rushed to the hospital after an unnamed person called 911 claiming that he had overdosed. Sangouthai, who was a close friend of both Lamar Odom and Khloé Kardashian, struggled with addiction for many years. He eventually sought treatment during filming for “Khloé and Lamar,” on which he made frequent cameos.

Odom and Sangouthai had been friends since attending Christ the King High School in Queens together, where they were on the same basketball team. As you may recall from “Khloé and Lamar,” Odom paid for the apartment in which Sangouthai lived, at least at that time. The former NBA star is said to be “shaken up” by his friend’s death, especially after struggling with his own addiction problems.

As we previously reported, high school friends of Sangouthai have come together in an effort to lessen the burden placed on his mother, Christine Sangouthai, following his death. Willie and Jonie Miranda created a GoFundMe page to raise $15,000 to have their former classmate’s body returned to New York for “a proper burial.” The page has exceeded its donation goal by $545.