Brittany Murphy, known for her roles in movies such as Clueless, Sin City, 8 Mile, and Girl Interrupted, was a rising Hollywood star in the 1990s and 2000s. Unfortunately, her life came to a tragic end at the age of 32 under mysterious circumstances.
On December 20, 2009, Brittany Murphy was discovered collapsed in the bathroom of her Hollywood Hills residence by her mother after seeking help. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, she passed away shortly afterward.
The official investigation by the LA County Coroner determined that Brittany Murphy’s cause of death was pneumonia, exacerbated by a severe iron deficiency and intoxication from over-the-counter medications.
In the HBO show What Happened, Brittany Murphy? aired in 2021, deputy medical examiner Dr. Lisa Scheinn suggested that Murphy may have been unknowingly battling the disease for some time before her death.
At the time of her passing, Brittany Murphy had critically low iron levels, with her haemoglobin level registering at a very anemic rate of 3.0, significantly below the normal range of 12 to 15.5.
In a surprising turn of events, just five months after Brittany Murphy’s death, her husband, Simon Monjack, also passed away in the same house from similar conditions. Speculations arose, including theories of poisoning and the impact of an alleged eating disorder, with some speculating about toxic mold in the house affecting their health.
Despite online speculation about toxic mold, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office Assistant Chief Ed Winter dismissed this theory, stating that toxicology reports and autopsies found no evidence of mold playing a role in their deaths, with no mold spores discovered in their lungs.
Following allegations from Murphy’s father, Angelo Bertolotti, about poisoning, independent toxicology tests were conducted in 2013. However, no poison was detected in Brittany Murphy’s toxicology report, and the metals found in their hair were attributed to common items like hair dye or hairspray, with no signs of heavy-metal poisoning.
Brittany Murphy’s mother, Sharon, has since chosen to live in seclusion following her daughter’s death, staying away from the public eye.