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The Leave-Taking. Earlier that evening, Charlene had sent Marina out to the corner drugstore to get a new bottle of sleeping pills which her physician had prescribed. As the program began, Charlene rose from her bed, went to the bathroom. She returned to lie down on the bed while Marina sat near by. The youngster watched the show to the end, saw Gregory Peck, looking just like Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, make a touching little acceptance speech. When Marina looked at her stepmother, she realized that something was wrong. But it was too late. Charlene had swallowed all 30 sleeping pills. Ghighi arrived home from his dinner in time to accompany the unconscious Charlene to a New York hospital. Next morning she died without having regained consciousness. Cause: "visceral congestion."