An official involved with the funeral home handling arrangements for 16-year-old Jett Travolta — the eldest child of actor John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston — has reported that he died as the result of a seizure.
Jett Travolta was found unconscious in the family's vacation home in the Bahamas on Friday morning and later pronounced dead. The Associated Press reported that Travolta — who had a history of seizures — suffered a seizure and hit his head in one of the home's bathrooms. A caretaker found the unconscious teen, and he was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A police superintendent said Travolta was last seen entering the bathroom on Thursday.
Now the AP is reporting that Glen Campbell, assistant director of the Bahamian funeral home overseeing the Travolta arrangements, has confirmed "seizure" as being the cause of death on the certificate. Campbell further told the AP that the body is in "great condition" and shows no indication of head trauma, seemingly contradicting earlier reports that the teen had hit his head on a bathtub.
The Travoltas released a statement on the actor's Web site over the weekend, in which they thanked fans for their support. "We would like to extend our deepest and most heartfelt thanks to everyone who has sent their love and condolences," the statement read. "Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered. We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time we had with him for the rest of our lives. We have received many messages of condolence from around the world and we want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. It has meant so much to us. It is a beautiful reminder of the inherent goodness in the human spirit that gives us a hope for a brighter future."
Campbell told the AP that the certificate was based on the autopsy findings as judged by authorities on Monday, although those results have not yet been released. Jett Travolta's body was at the Grand Bahama airport on Monday, and was en route to Florida for burial.
Jett Travolta was rumored to suffer from autism and was diagnosed as a child with Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of the lymph nodes and can cause heart damage and inflamed blood vessels in young children. Preston previously told People magazine that Jett became very ill when he was 2 years old and was diagnosed with the disease, which she blamed on household cleaners and fertilizers. She said that a detoxification program based on teachings from the Church of Scientology — of which Travolta and Preston are among the most visible members — helped improve Jett's health.
The couple also have an 8-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu.
Funeral arrangements are being made in Ocala, Florida, where the Travoltas have a home, according to Travolta family friend and Tampa attorney Michael McDermott.
It's possible the results of the autopsy — which included two pathologists — may never be released, according to TMZ, because once the report is obtained by the coroner and forwarded to the family, it is up to the family whether to release those findings to the public.