‘ER’ Actress Mary Mara’s Cause of Death Revealed

“ER” actress Mary Mara died suddenly this week at 61. Now, more details of her death are providing a clearer picture of what happened.

While it was reported that she drowned while swimming in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent, New York, it has been revealed that she died from asphyxiation.

In a statement, NYSP Troop D Public Information Officer Jack Keller told People magazine, “The Jefferson County Medical Examiner's Office performed a post-mortem examination on the decedent and determined that the decedent's manner of death was an accident, due to asphyxiation, due to warm-water drowning.”

As for reports that she had abrasions on her body, the police said, “There were no signs of any trauma to Mary's body when she was found."

An investigation is ongoing.

On Sunday, police were called to the scene for a possible drowning and found Mara’s body.

In a statement, the New York State Police said, "The preliminary investigation suggests the victim drowned while swimming. The victim's body showed no signs of foul play and was transported to the Jefferson County Medical Examiner's Office pending an autopsy to determine an official cause of death."

In another statement, her brother-in-law Scott Dailey revealed that Mara was staying at her sister Martha's summer home when she died.

Following her death, her manager Craig Dorfman remembered her as "one of the finest actresses I ever met."

He told People magazine, "I still remember seeing her onstage in 1992 in 'Mad Forest' off-Broadway. She was electric, funny, and a true individual. Everyone loved her. She will be missed."