Death Certificate: John Travolta's Son Died of a Seizure
Jan. 5, 2009— -- Three days after Jett Travolta's death, mystery continues to surround the case of John Travolta's 16-year-old son.
Earlier today, two forensic pathologists, including an American physician, performed an autopsy in the Bahamas. Glen Campbell, an official with a Bahamian funeral home told The Associated Press that Jett's death certificate said he was killed by a "seizure."
He added that the body is in "great condition" and shows no sign of head trauma, even though police officials said the teen may have hit his head on a bathtub.
Campbell said the certificate came from the autopsy findings but revealed no information on the cause of death beyond the word "seizure."
Mark Smith, the Travolta family doctor, reportedly also attended the procedure.
Jett Travolta's body is now at the Grand Bahama airport en route for burial in Ocala, Fla., where the actor owns a home. The service is expected to be held Wednesday, Obie Wilchcombe, a family friend and member of the Bahamian parliament, told the AP.
Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham sent condolences to the Travolta family and said the autopsy is a formality the country requires in cases of sudden death to rule out foul play.
"We look forward to them being able to have the autopsy today and for the coroner to be able to make a decision so the body can be released," Ingraham told reporters.
On Sunday, John Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston, issued their first public statement since Jett died Friday. He apparently hit his head on the bathtub during a seizure at their vacation home in the Bahamas.
"Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered," said the statement posted on John Travolta's Web site. "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."
After the autopsy, it's likely the parents, who are Scientologists, will have a church-inspired funeral for Jett, church observers say.
Late Monday, the Church of Scientology released a statement to ABC News detailing its views on death and funerals.
"In Scientology we believe that you have lived before and that you will live again," the statement said. "The spirit, which is you, is immortal and you are not your body. You as an individual are an immortal spiritual being and simply put, you have lived before and will live again, lifetime after lifetime. In Scientology these past existences are simply referred to as past lives.
"The Scientology funeral service celebrates the life of the person who has departed his body," the church's statement continued. "Friends and family have the opportunity to say goodbye, to acknowledge and thank the person for whathe or she has done in this lifetime, and to wish them well as they move on to their next lifetime. The service is a reaffirmation of the knowledge that we are immortal spiritual beings."
Stephen Kent, a professor of sociology and alternative religions at the University of Alberta and an expert on Scientology, elaborated on typical proceedings:
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