Conflicting Reports on Death of John Travolta's Son

Yesterday, police in the Bahamas said that the 16-year-old son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston was found unconscious in a hotel room, after apparently having a seizure and hitting his head on a bathtub. The hospital was unable to revive Jett Travolta, who had, the Post reports, "a long history of seizures and other medical problems, including complications resulting from Kawasaki disease, a rare lymph-node disorder." People adds that Preston blamed household chemicals on Jett's health issues and "credited a detoxification program" based on Scientology found L. Ron Hubbard's writings for helping. Police said that Jett was last seen going into the bathroom on January 1, but wasn't found until yesterday by his nanny—prompting Travolta's lawyers to speak out and disagree with that version of events. They told TMZ "it appears Jett's fatal injury was the result of hitting his head on the bathtub, toilet seat, or both" and "say the intimation that Jett went undiscovered for hours is absolutely false." An autopsy will be performed and then the body will be flown to Florida for burial; a lawyer said Travolta and Preston's pain is "unimaginable and unquantifiable."

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By Jen Chung in News on January 3, 2009 4:11 PM

Comments [rss]

KiljoyWasHere

"Preston blamed household chemicals on Jett's health issues".

Damn health issues. Causing household chemicals left and right.

Jerky

The story get weirder and it sounds like the Travoltas are trying to cover their ass now. Their lawyers now claim he was on Depakote for seizures for years, but that is started to lose their effectiveness and their "neurosurgeons" recommended he stop it. That makes no sense, as there are numerous other drugs to try, and I doubt a Doctor would tell someone with severe epilepsy to stop taking their drugs cold turkey.

BTW, check out

http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/newtimes-toryB-92701.html

for a story of an ex-Scientologist with Epilepsy.....

NannyState

What are the odds that we will ever know what happened here? I didn't even know the Travoltas had a child with these problems. Was he some kind of "shame" they tried hiding? Sure seems like it.

Rocknrope

Sure seems like it.

No, it doesn't.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/04/jett.travolta.death/index.html

NannyState

Not that I won't take them at their words, but what other statement could they possibly issue?

Rocknrope

Not so much their statement, but the fact that the mom went on television and talked about her son to the public. It doesn't seem like they were trying to "hide" him. I haven't heard much about any of their family, nor would I care to.

Jerky

Looks like JohhnyBoy most likely killed his son by denying him what would be routine anti-seizure medication, something Scientologists dont believe in. If that is indeed the case, he and his wife should be left to rot in jail.....

Dee_Snutz

or was it... MURDER???

maybe xenu will bring him back.

Dee_Snutz

or was it... MURDER???

snoopydog

One reaps what they sow. The child had some serious health problems early in his life and it caught up to him. Let the parents reflect on their choice of how they approached the original problem. I hope they have continuing faith in their beliefs. Personally it's not my business to judge other people's belief in their own mumbo jumbo beliefs what ever form they take. I hear the sun will rise in the east tomorrow.

Rocknrope

Personally it's not my business to judge other people's belief in their own mumbo jumbo beliefs

But it seems it is your business to be an insensitive clod with a lack of compassion for a parent's loss.

jaycjay

Sorry... "Internal server error" got me.

Spirit of 76

One thing I learned a long time ago is to ignore server and other errors on Gothamist. Just copy any long posts into your clipboard and wait a few minutes. This recent upgrade isn't helping. Seems Gothamist jumped on the "new version" bandwagon without checking whether there are any serious bugs or whether they can really handle a smooth transition. Two weeks later, and we still have long periods when scripts don't load so people can't sign on. The "remember me" option didn't work properly (it "remembered" for a couple of hours at most, even though the persistent cookie was set to expire in 20 years) and they removed it. Online companies generally don't take these kinds of risks with mission-critical software.

NannyState

Thank you Spirit. That's exactly what's been happening. I've visited other sites that use Movable Type and encountered the same problems. Overall, I think it's good stuff but it needs work...

jaycjay

"scientology sure has a lot of mysterious deaths."

Agreed, but this one doesn't seem mysterious at all: "...a long history of seizures and other medical problems, including complications resulting from Kawasaki disease, a rare lymph-node disorder."

jaycjay

"scientology sure has a lot of mysterious deaths."

Agreed, but this one doesn't seem mysterious at all: "...a long history of seizures and other medical problems, including complications resulting from Kawasaki disease, a rare lymph-node disorder."

jaycjay

"scientology sure has a lot of mysterious deaths."

Agreed, but this one doesn't seem mysterious at all: "...a long history of seizures and other medical problems, including complications resulting from Kawasaki disease, a rare lymph-node disorder."

Mr Mel

I hope we don't have another Anna Nicole thing here. Now the Bahamas ME comes into play again.

My condolences to the Travoltas.Their beliefs are their business.

CR

"Their beliefs are their business."

Eh, sorry, their beliefs are *a* business, and that's what so disturbing. It's shoved down our throats on a daily business and that's what's scary about all this. What if the parents really are to blame because they denied their child proper medical care due to rediculous religious beliefs?

Mr Mel

And other religions aren't businesses? A woman's right to choose is the biggest religious issue in the nation. Let's be open minded here.

MFer

A woman's right to choose is NOT a religious issue.

Mr Mel

Like Hell it isn't.

babyhitler

scientology sure has a lot of mysterious deaths.

palestine

Let this be a lesson to you all:

Scientology kills.

gimme

gah

http://popsugar.com/26542

and that dude is the "caretaker"

suepart

what does this have to do with new york city?

ides_of_march

Without a doubt, losing a child has to be the worst ordeal a human being can face.

As for scientology, their dextox program and "purification rundown" is highly questionable in my opinion. The cult has been known to cause the deaths of followers by confining them, preventing them from getting qualified medical attention and some of their crackpot therapies. I have no idea if they had anything to do with this tragedy but it wouldn't surprise me.

May the unfortunate kid rest in peace.