Cranberries star found dead by cleaners
THE lead singer of The Cranberries was found dead by cleaners in her hotel bathroom, it emerged last night.
Dolores O’Riordan’s body was discovered when staff at the Hilton on Park Lane, London, went into her room thinking it was empty.
She was pronounced dead at the scene on Monday morning. Scotland Yard initially said her death was ‘unexplained’ but yesterday ruled that it was ‘not suspicious’.
One hotel worker told the Mail: ‘The people who found her said they found her in the toilet.
‘I think it was the cleaners who had gone in there because there was no activity around the hallway or from the room. They didn’t say how they found her, this has been kept private.’
Another staff member said: ‘They found her in the bathroom but the staff who found her have not said anything more, so we don’t know if it’s suicide or what.’
O’Riordan, 46, had been in London to record a cover of The Cranberries’ 1994 hit single Zombie with rock band Bad Wolves. The band also enjoyed huge success with the song Linger. They split in 2003 before reforming in 2009 and embarking on a reunion tour around America.
The Irish singer suffered bipolar disorder and depression throughout her career and American website TMZ yesterday reported friends describing her as ‘dreadfully depressed’ in recent weeks.
But a long-time friend and music producer who was one of the last people to hear from her told how she sounded happy and excited in a voicemail message just hours before her death.
Dan Waite, who was involved in the collaboration between her and Bad Wolves, said: ‘She sounded full of life, was joking and excited to see me and my wife this week.’