A coroner's report determined that actress Suzanne Crough's cause of death was due to a rare heart ailment, TheWrap reported. Crough is best known for her role as the tambourine-playing Tracy Partridge in the 1970s hit series "The Partridge Family." She passed away on April 27, 2015 in her Laughlin, Nev. home at 52 years old.
Her cause of death was due to arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), which is a rare form of cardiomyopathy, the Clark County, Nev., coroner told TheWrap.
The condition occurs when the heart muscle tissue in the right ventricle dies, according to the American Heart Association. It is then replaced with scar tissue and causes heart palpitations.
ARVD affects about one in 5,000 people. Crough's cause of death was considered natural.
Crough got her start in a Barbie commercial before landing her role as the youngest member on the '70s sitcom "The Partridge Family," according to The New York Times. The show aired on ABC from 1970 to 1974 and was centered around a family of musicians. Crough's character played the tambourine and sang backup vocals as Tracy, the youngest of the group. She starred alongside actors Danny Bonaduce and David Cassidy.
One of her last television appearances was in 2010 on NBC's "The Today Show." On the 40th anniversary of "The Partridge Family," Crough reunited with cast members Bonaduce, Cassidy and Brian Forster and spoke about why she thought the show was such a hit.
"I think America was also looking for a funny, wholesome show," she said.
