The hearse carrying the transport casket for actor Heath Ledger leaves the Frank E. Campbell funeral home in New York. Photo / Reuters
LOS ANGELES - Heath Ledger's heartbroken family will land back in Australia today to prepare for their famous son's funeral in Perth expected later this week.
Ledger's father Kim, mother Sally Ledger Bell and sister Kate were among a group of about 15 family members who flew out
of Los Angeles last night for Australia.
The family was escorted into Los Angeles international airport's Tom Bradley Terminal by Los Angeles police, private security staff and Australian consular staff.
A photographer was pushed against the wall by a private minder as the family entered the crowded terminal.
It was unclear whether the Ledger family would touch down in Melbourne or Brisbane this morning.
Qantas flies to Brisbane and Melbourne from Tom Bradley Terminal.
Ledger, 28, was found dead in his rented Manhattan apartment on January 22.
It is believed his family will hold a private funeral in Perth later this week and he will be buried in the Ledger family plot, near his grandparents, at Perth's Karrakatta cemetery.
A post-mortem examination conducted the day after Ledger's death has failed to determine the cause of death, but speculation soon turned to drug abuse.
Six different anti-anxiety and sleeping prescription drugs were found in the SoHo apartment, but police said there were no illegal drugs.
A toxicology report is expected to be released this week.
- AAP
