Whitney Houston death UPDATE. The star possibly drowned in the bathtub having overdose on prescription drugs and alcohol.

Whitney Houston drowned alone in a bathtub having accidentally overdosed on a cocktail of prescription drugs and alcohol after two back-to-back evenings of out-of-control binges, it has been claimed.

Whitney Houston, 48, was found dead by her bodyguard in the luxury Beverly Hilton hotel suite said to have been littered with bottles of prescription pills.

Paramedics battled to revive the singer but she was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, hours before she had been due to perform at a pre-Grammys party at the Beverly Hills Hilton in LA.

Bottles of Lorazepam, Valium, Xanax and a sleeping medication were found in the hotel room, it has been claimed. The drugs are believed to have acted as sedatives have caused her to fall asleep in the bathtub once they had been mixed with alcohol from the previous evenings.

As police look into the possibility that Whitney Houston died from an accidental overdose, there are expected to be emotional scenes at the Grammy awards tonight with many of the singers inspired by the legendary star dedicating their awards to her.

Whitney Houston had battled ravaging addictions to crack cocaine over the years but the drug is not believed to have played a part in her death. Police searched the room for illegal substances after discovering the body.

Her frantic daughter Bobbi Kristina, 19, is understood to have got into a “furious screaming argument” with authorities who refused to let her into the hotel room to see the body of her dead mother. Friends of Whitney Houston’s cousin Dionne Warwick, who also went to the hotel to try to see the body, have said that she is “inconsolable”.

Whitney Houston’s body was eventually covered up and wheeled later in the evening after Bobbi Kristina and Dionne Warwick had visited the room and broke down in tears as they were confronted with the tragic reality. Outside, fans gathered to mourn the star.

The exact cause of death is not yet known. But on the Thursday evening before her death, Whitney Houston went on a wild binge in which she is said to have clashed with security guards. The next evening she “partied heavily, drank and chatted loudly” with friends at the hotel bar, claims TMZ.

Members of Whitney Houston’s entourage were aware that she would take prescription pills, including the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, before big shows to calm her nerves, TMZ has also claimed.

It is not known if the destructive spiral played a part in death of Whitney Houston who had spent more than a decade battling an addiction to crack cocaine since rising to international stardom in the early 90’s.

Police have begun searching the hotel room for any signs of illegal drugs. The circumstances of the death are not thought to be suspicious but the authorities are investigating.

As Whitney Houston’s body was wheeled to an ambulance, just yards away stars including Britney Spears, Tony Bennett and Kim Kardashian were taking part in the pre-Grammy Awards party at the hotel.

Whitney Houston had been due to attend the event which was organized by her mentor Clive Davis.

The surreal scene inside the hotel event unfolded with Clive Davis paying tribute to the singer, before saying: “Now ladies and gentlemen, let the music begin.” Stars paid tribute to her throughout the evening.

Grammy president and CEO Neil Portnow, who called Whitney Houston a friend, said “canceling the party was never an option”. He announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Whitney Houston at Sunday’s Grammys.

What is Xanax?

Xanax, or Alprazolam, is a sedative used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.

It usually comes in tablet form and works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain.

Xanax can be addictive and drinking alcohol while taking the drug is ill-advised.

Michael Jackson was known to have been using the prescription drug at the time of his death in 2009 as was actor Heath Ledger when he accidentally overdosed in 2008.