Daniel Naroditsky/YouTube
NEED TO KNOW
Chess grandmaster and commentator Daniel Naroditsky ingested a mix of dangerous drugs before his death at age 29, per the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
The popular YouTuber's death was announced on Oct. 20; a police incident report states that authorities responded to a call at a private residence in the suburbs of Charlotte on Oct. 19 at approximately 7:11 p.m
Prior to his death, Naroditsky made a name for himself within the chess community as a highly decorated player, with championships dating back to his pre-teen years
New details have come to light about the death ofDaniel Naroditsky, a chess grandmaster and commentator who died at age 29.
The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirms to PEOPLE that Naroditsky's toxicology report showed that he had taken a mix of drugs prior to his death, including substances such as methamphetamine and amphetamine. Traces of 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine were also discovered in Naroditsky's system, both of which are known to be common ingredients in the opioid-like drug kratom.
The late YouTuber died from "accidental poisoning after ingesting a drug cocktail," the medical examiner's office toldTMZ.
Daniel Naroditsky/Youtube
The news of his death was shared by Naroditsky's club, Charlotte Chess Center, with a statement posted toXon Oct. 20. A representative for the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office also confirmed Naroditsky's death to PEOPLE.
"The Naroditsky family shares the sad news of Daniel's unexpected passing," the local chess club's announcement read. "Daniel was a talented chess player, educator, and beloved member of the chess community. We ask for privacy as the family grieves."
In October, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department incident report obtained by PEOPLE stated that Naroditsky's death was being treated as sudden or natural and investigated as apotential suicide or drug overdose.
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Police officers responded to a call at a private residence in the southern suburbs of Charlotte on Oct. 19 at approximately 7:11 p.m, per the incident filing. "Upon arrival, an unresponsive subject was located and later pronounced deceased by medic," read the report.
Naroditsky, who grew up in the Bay Area, rose to prominence within the chess community at a young age. He won the Under 12 section of the World Youth Chess Championship in 2007. He published a book,Mastering Positional Chess, in 2010 at the age of 14.
In 2013, the gameplay prodigy won the U.S. Junior Championship, and he later scored the grandmaster title at the end of the year. Naroditsky wasawardedthe Samford Chess Fellowship — one of the most prominent awards for young American chess masters — in 2014.
Over the course of the following decade, Naroditsky continued to compete in the U.S. Championships for chess and was regularly ranked within the top 200 players in the world.
He also boasted over 484,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he would stream his chess games with live commentary. On Oct. 17, Naroditsky shared his finalvideoto his account — his first in several weeks — after telling his followers he was "taking a creative break."
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Read the original article onPeople
