Brittany Murphy’s Mother Wrote a Chilling Open Letter After Her Death: “I Have No Choice…”

Brittany Murphy’s tragic death on December 20, 2009, shocked Hollywood and left fans worldwide reeling. Known for her iconic roles in Clueless, 8 Mile , and Uptown Girls , the 32-year-old star died suddenly in her Los Angeles home. While her official cause of death was ruled as accidental, due to pneumonia, anemia, and multiple prescription drug intoxications , controversy and speculation about her demise have lingered. Fifteen years after Brittany’s passing, her mother, Sharon Murphy, broke her long silence with a powerful and emotional open letter in 2013.

In this letter, Sharon candidly responded to allegations made by Brittany’s estranged father, Angelo Bertolotti, who claimed that the actress had been poisoned. She wrote, “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…We will never know for sure. However, we do know the Los Angeles County Coroner did extensive tests and found that she died of natural causes.” She described Bertolotti as a man who “may be her biological father but was never a real father to her in her lifetime.” Sharon emphasized her close bond with Brittany, recalling how they were inseparable throughout her life and career, as reported by Business Insider .

Sharon detailed Bertolotti’s absence, stating, “Angelo was not there at all after age 1. He certainly wasn’t around during the 12 years he spent in prison on three criminal felony convictions.” She dismissed his claims as baseless and damaging, insinuating that his efforts were designed to exploit Brittany’s legacy for personal gain. Bertolotti’s claims stemmed from the lab tests he commissioned on Brittany’s hair samples, which suggested the presence of heavy metals consistent with rat poison. Sharon discredited these findings, explaining that they lacked scientific rigor. She wrote, “An analysis from a sample of hair is not considered dependable unless it is backed up by tests of tissue and blood and other analysis — which he did not do…”

Moreover, Sharon recalled the harrowing final moments of Brittany’s life. On the morning of December 20, 2009, Brittany, suffering from flu-like symptoms , collapsed in the bathroom. Sharon found her unconscious, her lips blue. Her last words to her mother were, “Mommy, I can’t catch my breath. Help me.” Brittany’s husband, Simon Monjack, later shared that her final words to him were, “She said to her mum, ‘I’m dying. I’m going to die. Mommy, I love you,'” as reported by LadBible .

Despite the coroner’s conclusion that her death was accidental, speculation persisted. Toxic mold in her home and her weakened state from anemia were later suggested as possible contributors. Sharon’s letter was a heartfelt plea to honor Brittany’s memory. She added, “I want my Brittany to be remembered as the darling person she was…She was my baby, and we stood together throughout Brittany’s life. Now I must stand up for her again…”