Anna Nicole Smith's partner Howard K. Stern has suffered another major blow as he fights for custody of his late girlfriend's baby - the tragic model's best friend has accused him of "aggravating" her death.

Professional volleyball player Jackie Hatten was chatting to Smith's mother Virgie Arthur over the phone when they both heard the 39 year old had died in Florida.

And Hatten says she immediately knew Stern was involved because she has seen him plying her pal with drugs. Speaking on CNN show Larry King Live last night, Hatten said, "I've witnessed Howard give her Vicodin, Valium, morphine, Demerol... Shall I go on? I mean it's too much for someone to take over a period of time. That's considered aggravated death... Acclaimed effect over the years... It's just not acceptable. She (Anna Nicole) did go to rehab in 1995... (but) when you have people going, 'Here, mamma, take it mamma, I'll take it with you, as Howard did...' That is what killed my friend, in my opinion."

And Hatten insists Stern is not the biological father of Smith's baby Dannielynn - she supports photographer Larry Birkhead's paternity claim.

She adds, "The timeline... seems to correlate." And Hatten only wishes Smith had stayed with Birkhead because they were meant for each other: "They did live together for two years after a blind date. They fell madly in love. They were trying to have babies the first day they met in my bed, OK? I have pictures of them in my bed together."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)