Catherine O' Hara: Cause of death revealed

Catherine O’ Hara’s cause of death revealed.

On February 9, Monday, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, in an interview with TMZ, noted that the official cause of death revealed that the actress suffered from a pulmonary embolism, the underlying cause of which was rectal cancer.

Previously, when the news of O’Hara’s demise first came out, her reps confirmed to PEOPLE that she’d died “after a brief illness” while not disclosing details.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery in the lung, stopping blood flow.

The death certificate states she was cremated, and her remains were returned to her husband, Robert “Bo” Welch.

The document notes she passed away at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, just hours after symptoms began. Rectal cancer, which she had been battling for several months, was listed as a contributing factor.