Gossip Girl and Buffy The Vampire actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39.

The actress was found dead at her home in New York City after officers responded to a 911 call just after 8am local time this morning.

An investigation into her death has been opened but “criminality is not suspected”, police said.

Trachtenberg was best known for her work as Dawn Summers in Buffy, the younger sister of the title character played by Sarah Michelle Gellar between 2000 and 2003.

Between 2008 and 2012, she played Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl – the malevolent rival of Blake Lively’s Serena van der Woodsen and Leighton Meester’s Blair Waldorf.

She also starred in the movie 17 Again, where she portrayed daughter Maggie O’Donnell, comedy film Eurotrip and the 2005 teen film Ice Princess.

Trachtenberg thanked Gellar for speaking out against Joss Whedon in 2021, following abuse allegations made against the Buffy showrunner.

“I am brave enough now as a 35-year-old woman to repost this,” she wrote on social media, and alluded to “his not appropriate behaviour” she experienced as a teenage actor.

In response to claims on the set of Buffy, Mr Whedon told Vulture that he was not as “civilised” as he was now and admitted yelling at the cast – but dismissed several other claims.

Meanwhile, her co-star on Gossip Girl Ed Westwick said in an Instagram Story that he was “so sad to hear of the passing of Michelle Trachtenberg sending prayers”.

Trachtenberg’s first big break into Hollywood came in 1996, starring in the big screen adaptation of Harriet the Spy.

In 2001, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for hosting Discovery’s Truth or Scare.

Her most recent film appearance came last year when she played the role of Michelle Cody White in Spyral.

Trachtenberg posted on social media in recent months to tell fans she was OK despite concerns that she appeared frail.

She responded to one commenter: “Did you lose a calendar and not realise I’m not 14. I’m 38.”

Police searching for the body of a murder victim have found human remains in North Yorkshire.

Mother of three Rania Alayed was murdered in 2013 by her husband Ahmed al Khatib, of Gorton, Manchester, who was jailed for life the following year.

Her body was never recovered and multiple searches have taken place in the years since then, said Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

On Tuesday, after receiving new information, GMP officers located buried human remains by the A19 in Thirsk.

The force said in a statement: “While no official identification has taken place, we strongly suspect the remains are that of Rania.

“Her family have been informed of the latest development and are being supported by specially trained officers. They remain at the forefront of our minds.”

Ms Alayed’s son, Yazan, speaking on behalf of their family, said: “The discovery of my mother’s remains more than a decade onwards has come as a surreal surprise to me and my family.

“At last, being able to provide a final resting place is all we have wanted for the last 11 years, to have the ability to lay down a few flowers for my mother is more than I can ask for from this world.”

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Higginson, from GMP’s major incident team, said Ms Alayed’s murder was “utterly horrific” and not knowing where her body was had caused further pain to those who knew her.

“More than a decade after her murder, we now strongly believe we have located Rania’s body and are finally able to provide closure to her family, who we know have endured so much pain and grief over the years.

“Rania’s family have always been kept informed following our searches over the last few years, and we are providing them updates as we get them following this most recent development,” he said.

During Mr al Khatib’s trial, a court heard how Ms Alayed was born in Syria and met her husband when she was 15.

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The couple fled the Middle East, eventually moving to England.

They had three children but eventually Ms Alayed left the unhappy marriage which had been marred by violence from her husband, the trial heard.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani will make his first spring training appearance of the year Friday night against his old team, the Angels.

Ohtani, 30, will be the designated hitter. Roberts has not given a timetable for Ohtani’s return to the pitcher’s mound other than to say he hopes it would be “sooner than later.” Roberts has ruled Ohtani out for the March 18-19 season-opening series in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.

Ohtani injured his left shoulder sliding into second base during the World Series, when the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games. He did not pitch last season, his first with the Dodgers, while recovering from surgery to repair a ligament in his throwing elbow.

Playing exclusively as a batter, he hit 54 home runs with 59 stolen bases — the first person in the major league 50/50 club — and won his third unanimous MVP award.

As a pitcher, Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA, including a 10-5 record and 3.14 ERA in 2023 before he was injured that August.