Eric Bolling says his son, a CU-Boulder student, died of accidental opioid overdose

DENVER – Former Fox News Channel host Eric Bolling confirmed Thursday that his son, Eric Chase Bolling Jr., died of an overdose of opioids last month in Boulder.

“Just received some tragic news from Coroner in Colorado. Eric Chase’s passing has been ruled an accidental overdose that included opioids,” he said in a series of tweets. “Adrienne and I thank you for your continued prayers and support. We must fight against this national epidemic, too many innocent victims.”

2/ Adrienne and I thank you for your continued prayers and support. We must fight against this national epidemic, too many innocent victims. pic.twitter.com/BigEPYhkP9

— Eric Bolling (@ericbolling) October 26, 2017

The Boulder County Coroner’s Office had previously confirmed that the younger Bolling, who was 19 and a student at the University of Colorado-Boulder, was indeed found dead in early September, but said it would take weeks before his cause and manner of death could be determined.

Thursday, the office said Bolling Jr. had died of an accidental overdose of a mix of cocaine and fentanyl.

TMZ had reported that Bolling Jr. had died of an apparent drug overdose. The elder Bolling had said initially there was “no sign of self harm” on his son when he was found.

Bolling’s announcement that his son’s overdose involved opioids comes on the same day that President Trump declared the country’s opioid crisis a national epidemic.

“It is time to liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction,” the president said. But no additional federal funding will be automatically directed to the crisis.

Bolling and Fox News parted ways in September after a story in the Huffington Post alleged he sent lewd photos to female colleagues. The fallout from that article forced the network to cancel his show, “The Specialists.”

Before he was let go, Bolling filed a defamation lawsuit against the writer of the piece, seeking $50 million in damages.