Holly Robinson Peete has publicly criticized the statement made by Lesley Vogel, mother of the late actress Hayden Panettiere, regarding her daughter's death. Peete co-signed a critical assessment by journalist Gayle King, stating that King was "not wrong" for her reaction to Vogel's remarks.
Vogel's statement described Panettiere as a "talented" artist who was "on the wrong path." Peete questioned the sincerity of Vogel's words, pointing out what she perceived as a lack of maternal sentiment.
"We know this young lady clearly had so many issues, but if you’re not gonna take accountability for the fact that you put her in the business that eventually messed her up then nothing you say has any integrity," Peete wrote on X, formerly Twitter. She added, "There were so many things she could have said to show us that she was a caring mother … and now both of her children are gone. It is all so tragic."
Peete's comments align with those of Gayle King, who expressed frustration on "CBS Mornings" that Vogel had not "follow[ed] the lead" of Hayden's father, Skip Panettiere. Skip Panettiere had spoken glowingly of his daughter, calling her an "incredible light and a force of nature."
Lesley Vogel, who was reportedly estranged from Hayden at the time of the actress' passing, had also commented on her daughter's struggles within the entertainment industry. "I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle, and it’s a very challenging industry, and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path," Vogel stated.
Vogel also criticized Hayden's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, who was present at the scene when the Golden Globe nominee died. King had responded to Vogel's statement by saying, "Thanks, Mom, for nothing."
Hayden Panettiere's memoir, released three months prior to her death, detailed her strained relationship with her mother, as well as her struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction and an abusive romance. Vogel had previously described her daughter's tell-all as "painful observation of watching the self-destructive paths they sometimes choose."