Why We'll Never Know The Cause Of Michelle Trachtenberg's Death

When it was revealed that actor Michelle Trachtenberg had died at the age of 39, it left many with lingering questions regarding the health of the "Harriet the Spy" star. According to ABC News' initial report on the tragedy, an insider leaked that an autopsy would be scheduled to determine the official cause of death. However, it now appears that Trachtenberg's family is officially pulling the plug on any public closure, since the New York Post revealed the family is now refusing to have an autopsy performed. The medical examiner's office told the outlet that it was required by state law to comply with the family's wishes, and therefore, only an external examination would be performed.

With the limited information provided by such an exam, the official cause of death has been revealed to simply be "undetermined," per the New York Medical Examiner's office. However, this end result is leaving several fans and friends in the lurch, as it was recently revealed that Trachtenberg was struggling with health issues and even underwent a liver transplant shortly before her passing. As rumors abound that complications from the surgery, or even a possible rejection of the organ, could have played a part in Trachtenberg's untimely death, one friend in particular is making the waters even muddier.

Photographer Amanda de Cadenet did what many celebrities did upon hearing the news of Michelle Trachtenberg's death — she posted about it online. Similar to the sweet reactions from Trachtenberg's co-stars, de Cadenet made a heartwarming Instagram post. There's a photo of a young Trachtenberg by a pool and an emotional caption that begins, "What sad news this morning to wake up to. It feels weird and awful to be posting this, but I want to acknowledge your death because I cared about you." However, de Cadenet edited the post from what was originally there.

According to People, the original caption included language that made it appear de Cadenet knew more about Trachtenberg's health struggles. She initially wrote, "Seeing your face from the hospital bed ... even though you did not look like you, your sweetness and humor were still alive ... you knew that death was a high possibility," before deleting the mysterious section. This post joins Trachtenberg's tragic final social media posts in stirring up more big feelings than providing answers about the loss of such a talented individual. Hopefully, her family can get the space and time they need to fully grieve, even if it means leaving many questions unanswered.