A month after the death of “General Hospital” star Leslie Charleson was confirmed, more details are emerging about the circumstances surrounding her death.
Records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirm that Charleson’s cause of death was “sequelae of blunt head trauma,” meaning traumatic brain injury.
While the case remains open, the office determined the death to be an accident.
Charleson, a soap opera veteran best known for playing Monica Quartermaine on “General Hospital,” died on Jan. 12, the show’s producer Frank Valentini confirmed. She was 79.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” Valentini wrote on Instagram. “Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on ‘General Hospital’ alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew.
“I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set. On behalf of everyone at ‘General Hospital,’ my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”
Charleson made her “General Hospital” debut as Dr. Quartermaine in 1977 and went on to appear in more than 2,000 episodes over nearly five decades, according to the actress’s IMDb page.
