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Medical examiner releases cause of death for 22-year-old daughter of Austin Beutner
Austin Beutner in 2026.
(
Kayla Bartkowski
/
Getty Images
)
The L.A. County Medical Examiner has released the cause of death for Emily Beutner, the daughter of former LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner.
The 22-year-old died from the effects of a combination of drugs, including two linked to the opioid known as kratom — mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine — according to the statement released by the medical examiner Friday.
A county health official told our partner CBS L.A. that kratom products are sometimes sold as natural remedies but are illegal and unsafe.
The other two substances cited as causes of death were quetiapine and mirtazapine — the former is an antipsychotic medication, and the latter is used to treat depression, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The former Loyola Marymount University student was found alone and suffering from medical distress by L.A. County Fire Department personnel shortly after midnight in a field by a highway in Palmdale on Jan. 6. She was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead soon after.
After his daughter's death, Beutner dropped out of the L.A. mayoral race.
The Medical Examiner said the manner of death was ruled a suicide.
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Resources
If You Need Immediate Help
- If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go here for online chat.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, you can dial the mental health lifeline at 988.
Additional resources
Ask For Help
- Steinberg Institute website, links to mental health resources and care throughout California
- Institute on Aging's 24/7 Friendship Line (especially for people who have disabilities or are over 60), 1-800-971-0016 or call 415-750-4138 to volunteer.
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, 24/7 Access Line 1-800-854-7771.
- The Crisis Text Line, Text "HOME" (741-741) to reach a trained crisis counselor.
- California Psychological Association > class=rte2-style-brightspot-core-link-LinkRichTextElement >Find a Psychologist Locator
If You Need Immediate Help
- If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go here for online chat.
More Guidance
- Find 5 Action Steps for helping someone who may be suicidal, from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- Six questions to ask to help assess the severity of someone's suicide risk, from the Columbia Lighthouse Project.
- To prevent a future crisis, here's how to help someone make a safety plan.
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