Legal expert breaks down reasons behind Michelle Trachtenberg’s family refusing autopsy

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Michelle Trachtenberg’s unexpected death at 39 has left fans searching for answers, but one detail has deepened the mystery - her family’s decision to decline an autopsy, leaving her official cause of death “undetermined.”

Legal expert Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Lawyers, explained that in cases where foul play isn’t suspected, autopsies aren’t legally required.

Legal expert explains why Michelle Trachtenberg’s family declined an autopsy

Rahmani explained that an autopsy is “not required by law unless the circumstances of the death are suspicious.”

“If it's a suicide, if it's a natural death or those types of cases where no one's going to be prosecuted, the autopsy is not required by law,” Rahmani told PEOPLE.

Religious and privacy concerns are common reasons for objecting. Families may also want to avoid painful delays in burial or prevent sensitive medical details from becoming public.

"The problem is sometimes we've seen autopsies become public, and the family members will actually file lawsuits to keep autopsies private because sometimes there's information in the autopsy that can cast a bad light on the deceased,” Rahmani noted

The attorney pointed out that in cases involving alcohol or drug-related deaths, families might prefer to keep any findings private, as the details may not contribute significantly to the investigation.

Rahmani added that families may decline autopsies for religious or privacy reasons, adding, "Some of it is because of religious issues, privacy issues, closure. In the case of natural death or even suicide, the family may not want to prolong the process of the burial and the wake."

He also noted that an autopsy can be a lengthy process, potentially delaying the mourning period for the deceased’s family and friends.

Rahmani pointed out that if a murder investigation is underway, an autopsy would still be conducted regardless of religious considerations.

He explained, "You can't destroy evidence. If they think that someone's been killed, it's a homicide. The family can't cremate a body right away. That would be just like any other type of evidence. That body needs to be preserved for a medical examiner who's going to prepare a report, then he or she will testify at trial."

Despite the lack of a full autopsy, the New York City Medical Examiner did conduct an external exam before ruling the cause of death undetermined. Since authorities have stated that “criminality is not suspected,” it appears law enforcement is not treating her death as a homicide.

Trachtenberg was found unresponsive in her New York City home on February 26. Though the exact circumstances remain unclear, officials have not suggested any wrongdoing.

Michelle Trachtenberg looked ‘unwell’ days before death, say diners

Michelle Trachtenberg, best known for her roles in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Gossip Girl', was seen in visibly poor health just days before her tragic death, according to multiple eyewitnesses.

Sources told Page Six that the actress dined at Sartiano’s, a popular Italian restaurant in New York City, on Thursday, February 20 just six days before she was found dead in her apartment.

"She looked really unwell, just like very sickly," one diner shared. "She was thin, like tiny, she couldn’t walk down the stairs. She was not in a great mood, it wasn’t the best impression."

On the morning of February 26, NYPD officers responded to a 911 call at 1 Columbus Place in New York City, where they found Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Police stated there were no signs of foul play, and criminality is not suspected.

According to TMZ, Trachtenberg’s mother had spoken to her just the night before, unaware it would be their last conversation.