Sharon Murphy, mother to the late actress Brittany Murphy, has disputed claims made by her father that she may have been poisoned.
Sharon shared an emotional, open and lengthy letter with
The Hollywood Reporter, following claims by Angelo Bertolotti, that foul play may have been involved in their daughter’s death.
“I have chosen to stay out of the limelight since the tragic and sudden death of my wonderful, talented, loving daughter four years ago this Dec. 20.” Murphy began in her letter.
“I have no choice now but to come forward in the face of inexcusable efforts to smear my daughter's memory by a man who may be her biological father but was never a real father to her in her lifetime,” she continued.
“Angelo Bertolotti has relocated to California in his old age to claim he is here for Brittany, as he never was in life. He has made outrageous statements over the past few years, culminating in this latest madness: that my darling daughter was murdered.”
The cause of Brittany’s death was declared to be natural causes and complications which included anaemia and pneumonia.
Murphy continued, writing that Angelo’s claims were “flimsy of evidence” and more of an “insult than an insight” into what happened.
"To even mention that the heavy metals that were listed in his test are in rat poison, leading to articles suggesting Brittany ingested that or anything like it, is absurd. If she had, don't you think it would have shown up in the coroner's test of her blood and tissue? A reputable expert will tell you that what this lab did is an ethical violation of the highest order; to even pretend to be able to draw such conclusions on unreliable evidence is the real crime."
“Angelo has shown he only wants to trade on Brittany's life, career and good reputation -- even at the cost of putting a cloud over her memory.”
She said that she wanted Brittany to be remembered for her acting ability and the “darling person she was.”
"It is time for those who really knew and loved her to put those who want to exploit her on notice: Your lies will no longer be tolerated, and as long as I live will continue to be exposed," Sharon concluded.
Brittany Murphy died on December 20th, 2009, at the age of 32.