RIP Michelle Trachtenberg, Dawn in Buffy, Dead at 39

[CoveTom]

I know but it seemed suspicious that after she died her family didn't want to find out why she died after they found her. But if you look at her body from a distance and it's more or less obvious why she died, and if they know the girls are sick, they can more or less guess why she died. I guess I watch too many detective and American murder mystery movies.

Some religions take their beliefs about autopsies very seriously. It's also possible that they know why she died. For example, if she had undergone a liver transplant and was in poor health as a result, it would be pretty obvious to them what the cause of death was.

To answer your earlier question, yes, families can refuse an autopsy unless the police have some evidence of foul play. As long as the police are satisfied that their death wasn't the result of a malicious act, the family can choose what to do or not do.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I know but it seemed suspicious that after she died her family didn't want to find out why she died after they found her. But if you look at her body from a distance and it's more or less obvious why she died, and if they know the girls are sick, they can more or less guess why she died. I guess I watch too many detective and American murder mystery movies.

She had a liver transplant. It's possible her family was more than aware of how things were going.

 

[The Wormhole]

I know but it seemed suspicious that after she died her family didn't want to find out why she died after they found her. But if you look at her body from a distance and it's more or less obvious why she died, and if they know the girls are sick, they can more or less guess why she died. I guess I watch too many detective and American murder mystery movies.

The article cites religious reasons as the explanation for why Trachtenberg's family have refused the autopsy. There are many religions, including mainstream ones which do not approve of autopsies and there is nothing suspicious nor indicative of criminal intent in refusing an autopsy on religious grounds.

Indeed, after doing some quick Google research, Trachtenberg was (or at least her parents are) Jewish, and Judaism does have strict rules forbidding autopsies in nearly all circumstances. Google says autopsies on Jews can only be performed "in times of an immediate danger to life" (which I assume means lives of others, as an autopsy by the very definition can only be performed on a dead person) and in those cases, it still requires direct permission of a rabbi to perform the autopsy.

So no, I'm not seeing any red flags here regarding Trachtenberg's family refusing an autopsy.

 

[oktay]

Michelle Trachtenberg's Cause of Death Revealed

Michelle Trachtenberg's cause of death is official ... with NYC authorities saying she died from complications of diabetes.

www.tmz.com