Former Child Star Corey Haim Found Dead, Drugs Suspected
The star of "License to Drive" was 38.
Former teen heartthrob Corey Haim died early Wednesday morning in Los Angeles.
The actor was 38.
The Los Angeles coroner's office said Haim died at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. The actor was taken by ambulance to the hospital from an apartment in Los Angeles.
The LAPD said his death appeared to be an accidental drug overdose, and an investigation is underway. The coroner's office said an autopsy will determine the cause of death.
SLIDESHOW: Corey Haim: 1971-2010.
Haim had flulike symptoms before he died and was getting over-the-counter and prescription medications, Police Sgt. William Mann said.
"He could have succumbed to whatever (illness) he had or it could have been drugs. Who knows?" Mann said. "He has had a drug problem in the past."
A TMZ videographer talked to Haim on February 18 in Hollywood, when he was out at a club with actor and friend Corey Feldman. Haim told TMZ he was "well" and had been sober for some time.
"I'm directing for the first time," he added. "I've got a few things happening."
Just hours after Haim's death, Feldman expressed his deep remorse at the loss of his friend.
In a a statement, he said, "my eyes weren't even all the way open when the tears started streaming down my face ... this is a tragic loss of a wonderful, beautiful, tormented soul, who will always be my brother, family and best friend."
RELATED: Click here to read Feldman's full statement.
Haim's first role was in the 1984 hit "Firstborn," in which he played a young child caught up in a family war.
Haim is most famous for his roles in the 1980s films "Lucas" and "The Lost Boys." Haim and Corey Feldman starred in several popular films together, including "License to Drive" and "Dream a Little Dream," and became one of the hottest young actor teams in Hollywood.
RELATED: Celebs Mourn Loss of Haim via Twitter
Haim's drug use took over his life, however, and helped ruin his career.
"I feel like ... I ruined myself [with drugs] to the point where I wasn't functional enough to work for anybody, even myself," Haim said in an interview in 2007.
After starring in several direct-to-video films in the 1990s, the actor made a comeback in 2006 in the reality series "The Two Coreys," again with Corey Feldman.
SLIDESHOW: Child Star Tragedies.
The successful show lasted two seasons, but Feldman said he refused to do a third season because of Haim's continued drug use.
Haim went to rehab and said he was sober and ready to work again, even taking out an ad in Variety magazine saying as much.
The actor was involved in several projects at the time of his death, including the film "The Science of Cool" with actress Mischa Barton, due out in 2010, and "The Dead Sea," which is currently filming.
