The ‘Gossip Girl’ actor was found dead in her New York City apartment on Wednesday. Michelle Trachtenberg’s mother spoke to her the night before she died, according to reports. The Gossip Girl star’s mother found her daughter, 39, dead in her New York City apartment on Wednesday.
![[Trachtenberg’s cause of death was ruled ‘undetermined’ after her family objected to an autopsy]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/27/17/31/MixCollage-27-Feb-2025-12-54-PM-4650.jpeg)
“Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased. Criminality is not suspected,” the NYPD confirmed in a statement to People. On Thursday morning, her cause of death was ruled “undetermined” after her family objected to an autopsy, according to a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner’s office.
Concerns about the actor’s health and wellbeing had been raised by fans previously after a series of photos on her Instagram page prompted some to speculate on her apparent weight loss. However, last January, she responded to fan concerns saying she was “happy and healthy” and had never had plastic surgery.
“Explain to me how I look sick,” she wrote. “Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment.”. Many of Trachtenberg’s former co-stars from throughout her acting career have turned to social media to express their sorrow over her loss.
Her Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar posted a tribute on Instagram. Trachtenberg played Buffy’s sister Dawn in later seasons of the hit show. Gellar memorialized her co-star by modifying a famous line of dialogue from an episode of the series in which Buffy urged her sister to flourish in life as she prepared to sacrifice her own.
“Michelle, listen to me,” Gellar wrote. “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.”. Her post, which was awaited by fans of the fantasy show, was met with an outpouring of emotion.
Gellar also added an emoji of a key in reference to Trachtenberg’s character on the show. Shortly after arriving in the series, Dawn was revealed to be the human form of a mythical key with the power to unlock another dimension. More of Trachtenberg’s former co-stars, including Blake Lively and Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl), Kim Cattrall (Ice Princess) and Rosie O’Donnell (Harriet the Spy), have also reacted to the “heartbreaking” news of her passing.
