Neutrogena acknowledged Thursday that it left actress Hayden Panettiere feeling abandoned, responding to backlash over its past treatment of the former brand ambassador following her death last Sunday at age 36 in South Carolina.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at an apartment complex in Greenville and pronounced dead at the scene. The Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the investigation into her death, and an autopsy was completed Monday.
The skincare brand's statement addressed renewed scrutiny after Panettiere said in a May radio interview that Neutrogena attempted to end their partnership when she spoke publicly about postpartum depression. She claimed the company severed ties over a morals clause in 2015. In response, Neutrogena announced a significant investment to a community health partner to help women access postpartum depression support.