Reason Michelle Trachtenberg's cause of death may never be publicly known

Fans of much-loved Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Michelle Trachtenberg may never find out how she died, following opposition in New York.

On Wednesday morning (February 26), Michelle Trachtenberg was tragically found dead in her home at One Columbus Place, in New York City, with officers having ruled out foul play.

It came as cops responded to a 911 shortly after 8.00am, where they found the 39-year-old unconscious and unresponsive. EMS (Emergency Medical Services) pronounced the actor dead at the scene in Manhattan.

The NYPD said in a statement: "Criminality is not suspected. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

"The investigation remains ongoing."

Her family also released a statement through a representative. It read: "It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss."

Now, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled that the cause and manner of the star's death is undetermined.

The cause of death of Michelle Trachtenberg may never be known (Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)

It comes as her family cited religious reasons for objecting to an autopsy, which means Trachtenberg's cause of death may never be publicly known.

The medical examiner has the power to overrule their opposition, however with there being no suspicion that foul play or criminality played a role in her death, the office sided with the objection which meant only an external examination of her body will be carried out.

Hollywood is now mourning her loss, with Gossip Girl co-star Blake Lively having taken to her Instagram story to share a photograph from the day the pair met on set of the hit drama.

She wrote: "This is the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200 percent.

Blake Lively and Trachtenberg pictured back in 2009 (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

"She laughed the fullest at someone's joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself."

"Time passes," Lively continued. "You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday."

Her post 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."

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].