Updated

Updated · NBC News · Aug 20

Neutrogena Admits It Left Hayden Panettiere Unsupported, Pledges PPD Investment After Backlash

Updated

Updated · NBC News · Aug 20

Neutrogena Admits It Left Hayden Panettiere Unsupported, Pledges PPD Investment After Backlash

Q: What really caused the sudden death of the 36-year-old star who dared to expose corporate hypocrisy in her final memoir?

Hayden Panettiere’s exact cause of death has not been officially determined. What authorities have confirmed is that she was found unresponsive in cardiac arrest at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, and was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. Sunday. An autopsy found no signs of trauma, and investigators have said the cause and manner of death remain pending further testing. That means any claim that her death was definitively caused by one factor is still speculation. Reports from police audio and media accounts mentioned a possible overdose, and officers were shown a bag of medications she had been taking. The DEA has also reportedly joined the investigation. But none of that amounts to an official ruling, and toxicology results may take weeks. What is established is that Panettiere had been open about serious health struggles, including postpartum depression, alcohol misuse, prescription drug dependence, trauma and grief, especially in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.” Her book also renewed scrutiny of Neutrogena after she said the company distanced itself from her after she spoke publicly about postpartum depression. Neutrogena has since apologized and said it handled the relationship in a way that did not reflect its values. So the factual answer is that Panettiere died after going into cardiac arrest, but the underlying medical cause of that cardiac arrest is still under investigation. Any stronger claim than that is not yet supported by official evidence.

3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Aug 20

Neutrogena said Thursday it understands it made Hayden Panettiere feel unsupported during “a very difficult time,” responding after its social media accounts were hit with boycott calls following her death at 36.
The backlash centered on Panettiere’s claim that the brand cut ties with her under a “morals clause” after she spoke publicly about postpartum depression, ending a partnership that ran from 2005 to 2015.
The company did not detail the contract dispute or answer further questions, but said it delayed commenting out of respect for Panettiere’s family and called her a valued member of the Neutrogena community.
Neutrogena also pledged a significant investment in a community health partner to expand support for postpartum depression, a condition that affects about 1 in 7 women.