Authorities: 'There was no crime' in woman's death

DURHAM

In December, an autopsy from the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner revealed 30-year-old Cheryl Lynn Suber of Garner, died of complications of combined oxycodone and diphenhydramine poisoning.

Suber died at Duke on October 5. According to search warrants obtained by ABC11 that same month, she was at the hospital for treatment for Sickle Cell Anemia, but went into cardiac arrest just hours after being seen walking around the hospital in apparent good health.

Warrants showed detectives were treating the case as a possible homicide and seized surveillance video of anyone entering or exiting her room, and also asked to look at her medical records.

The warrants said a nurse told investigators that Suber's boyfriend came out of her room and requested she check on her. The nurse went in and found no pulse. The attending physician - Doctor Daniel Kaplan - was suspicious and requested a police investigation.

However on Thursday, Duke spokesman Keith Lawrence told ABC11 that the Duke police chief said the case is closed and "there was no crime."

In the autopsy report, it said "two syringes with pink watery material were discovered with her body and were reportedly not known to be directly associated with her medical therapy."

The report also said the contents of the syringes were tested, and they were found to contain diphenhydramine.

In December, Duke Police would not say if they believed Suber's death was an accident or a homicide.

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