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'Buffy' star Michelle Trachtenberg's cause of death 'undetermined' after family refuses autopsy
The 39-year-old actress died on February 26.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Michelle Trachtenberg’s death was ruled “undetermined" on Thursday morning after being found dead by her mother earlier this week.
According to a spokesperson of the city medical examiner’s office, the family objected to an autopsy, the New York Post reports.
The state’s public health law precludes the medical examiner from conducting an autopsy without the family giving permission because of the state's public health laws.
The 30-year-old actress, who was best known for her starring roles on Buffy, Gossip Girl, and Ice Princess, was found by her mother at 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning at a luxury apartment complex in Manhattan.
Her family's desire not to have a formal autopsy means it is unlikely there will be any further investigation. Sources told the Post that Trachtenberg's death certificate lists "undetermined" as the cause and manner of death.
While it is unlikely that a more specific cause of death will be made public, Trachtenberg had undergone a liver transplant within the last year.
Former costars took to social media to express their condolences, share memories, and post photos of Trachtenberg. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played Trachtenberg's older sister on Buffy, shared an emotional tribute to the late star in her Instagram stories.
“Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you," Gellar wrote, alongside photos of the two women together.
Ariel Messman-Rucker is an Oakland-born journalist who now calls the Pacific Northwest her home. When she’s not writing about politics and queer pop culture, she can be found reading, hiking, or talking about horror movies with the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network.
Ariel Messman-Rucker is an Oakland-born journalist who now calls the Pacific Northwest her home. When she’s not writing about politics and queer pop culture, she can be found reading, hiking, or talking about horror movies with the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network.
