The cause of Michelle Trachtenberg’s death, which shocked and saddened so many fans of her performances in “Gossip Girl” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” will officially remain “undetermined” after her family objected to an autopsy, reports say.
The New York City medical examiner’s office said it is obligated by state law to honor the family’s request when it comes to an autopsy for an unattended death, unless there is foul play suspected, TMZ and the New York Post reported Thursday.
Multiple outlets, including TMZ, the New York Post, ABC News and People, have reported that the 39-year-old Trachtenberg had a liver transplant “months” before she was found in her New York City apartment Wednesday morning.
These outlets also talked to friends and acquaintances who said the one-time child actor had been “really down emotionally” recently and dealing with “health issues” over the past year. A source told People: “She told friends she was struggling. She was really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling.”
The possibility that Trachtenberg had undergone such a serious operation inevitably sparked a torrent of online questions and speculation about why she reportedly needed a new liver. According to health experts, a transplant becomes necessary for people with serious liver dysfunction — when they cannot live unless they get a healthy new organ.
The most reason that people usually need liver transplants is cirrhosis, a scarring of the liver. This condition is most commonly caused by alcohol-related liver disease, due to long-term alcoholism and heavy drinking, as well as by chronic hepatitis C or chronic hepatitis B and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, expert say.
But without an autopsy, it’s unlikely that there will be any further investigation into Trachtenberg’s death, the New York Post said. Her death certificate now officially states “undetermined” for both cause and manner, the Post also said.
The public, therefore, may never get official confirmation that Trachtenberg received a liver transplant or an explanation into whether the operation played a role in her death and what health issues she had leading up to her death.
On Wednesday, Trachtenberg’s representative, Gary Mantoosh, told the New York Post that he would not disclose ”further details at this time,” as he released a statement saying, “It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss.”
Trachtenberg’s mother, Lana Trachtenberg, reportedly found her daughter unconscious and unresponsive in her high-rise luxury apartment at around 8 a.m. Wednesday, TMZ reported. The mother last saw her daughter the night before at 10 p.m. and she seemed “active despite her health concerns.”
With regard to the reported liver transplant, a source told the New York Post that she may have suffered complications, including her body rejecting the organ, which is always a possibility with organ transplants.