Mark Haines Cause of Death Released

CNBC Business Anchor Mark Haines died on May 24, 2011. For over two weeks no cause of death was released for Mark Haines. It was highly unusual for no cause of death being released for such a public figure.

Mark Haines manned the business desk at CNBC since 1989. Prior to joining CNBC, Haines was a TV news anchor for stations in Providence, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York, New York.

Why the Secrecy Surrounding Mark Haines Death?

So for someone who was on TV nearly every day for decades to pass away suddenly one night, and no cause of death to be announced was very odd. Many people, including myself, speculated on why no cause of death was released for Mark Haines, who died at his home in Marlboro, New Jersey in Monmouth County.

Mark Haines Died of Congestive Heart Failure

On June 8, 2011, Dr. David B. Durand announced on his website that he had spoken to the Monmouth County Medical Examiner's office and was told that Mark Haines died of natural causes, namely congestive heart failure due to cardiomegaly. Cardiomegaly means that the heart is enlarged.

Hearts can become enlarged for many reasons such as heart valve problems, stress, weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease and abnormal heart rhythms.

As anyone who watched Mark Haines on CNBC knew, he was over-weight, ate a terrible diet and he smoked. The fact that he died from a heart problem would not be news to anybody. But why all the secrecy surrounding his death?

If he died from a heart problem, or really any natural cause, why not just release that information? Why does another doctor have to seek out his cause of death from the county medical examiner's office? Something still does not add up here.

Again, Why the Secrecy Surrounding Mark Haines Death?

In my previous article, How Did CNBC Business Anchor Mark Haines Die?, I speculated that CNBC might have told Mark Haines he was being let go, or that his contract was not being renewed, and that might have contributed to his death.

On May 6, 2011, Haines' longtime co-host Erin Burnett left CNBC. On the day she left, Haines was visibly upset by her departure. Did someone tell Erin Burnett that CNBC was making changes, so she left?

Unlike Mark Haines who would fearlessly ask questions and probe for answers even if he was not the most knowledgeable person on a subject, Erin Burnett was a joke on CNBC. She had no real knowledge about most subjects and would conduct interviews that way. Trying to get them over as quickly as possible so her lack of knowledge would not show that bad.

It's possible Burnett jumped ship before she was let go.

Haines may have been in the dark about being let go, and when he found out the news that contributed to his heart failure. That's speculation on my part, but would explain why the cause of death was not released. CNBC did not want to look bad.

Another possible explanation is that Mark Haines was being treated for an enlarged heart. The fact that he died anyway, could mean a lawsuit will be filed against whoever was treating him. In that case, the family would probably not release a cause of death.

It's all speculation at this point, and will remain so until further details come to light. It's possible no further details will be released.

If a lawsuit is actually filed by the family of Mark Haines, that would become public knowledge. But a settlement could be reached prior, which would probably not be made public.

No official cause of death for Mark Haines has been released. But unofficially, he died of natural causes, namely congestive heart failure due to cardiomegaly.