Cause of death revealed for ‘Gossip Girl’ actor Michelle Trachtenberg
The late actor Michelle Trachtenberg, who was best known for starring in Gossip Girl, died due to complications related to diabetes mellitus.
Trachtenberg’s cause of death was first confirmed by People, who also stated that the actor’s passing was ruled as natural. The star died on February 26th, aged 39, when police discovered her body at her New York apartment.
A spokesperson for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner has shared that “the amended determination was made following review of toxicology testing results.”
It was previously stated that Trachtenberg’s family had prevented an autopsy and the spokesperson has now said that “toxicology testing can be done without autopsy.”
Following her death, the New York Police Department said in a statement, “Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. MS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased. Criminality is not suspected.”
Trachtenberg started out as a child actor in the 1990s on the show The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She also rose to notoriety playing the titular character in the 1996 adaptation of the beloved 1960s children’s book Harriet the Spy.
However, unlike many child stars, her career endured long into her adulthood. Trachtenberg’s role in Mysterious Skin proved her worth as a serious actor in the coming-of-age flick, while her casting as Georgina Sparks in the hit drama Gossip Girl became her most revered.
Following her death, Trachtenberg’s Gossip Girl co-star Blake Lively posted a long tribute that concluded, “The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.”
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