Amanda Peterson, best known for the 1987 movie "Can't Buy Me Love" and who just recently died of a drug overdose, was raped when she was 15, her family said, a hushed-up crime by a much older man which came at what turned out to be the height of her Hollywood career.
Peterson was found dead in July at her Colorado home in Greeley, said
People magazine.
The Wrap said the Weld County coroner's office determined earlier this month that she died of "accidental acute morphine toxicity."
Her family revealed on the syndicated show "The Doctors" on Monday that the actress was raped and never recovered from it, reported
Us Weekly.
"At the height of Mandy's career, she suffered a very serious trauma. She had been raped," said her mother Sylvia Peterson, adding that the man who attacked her was more than twice her age.
"She just felt so ashamed. She didn't want people to know. I think it affected her forever," said Sylvia Peterson.
"After (the rape) she became more defensive, less trusting, some of the sparkle was gone," said her father James Peterson, adding that she was hounded by "significant bipolar problems."
"I want to stress why we're here is to warn and counsel people," said James Peterson. "We are among perhaps millions who have gone through these problems. You have to be very well attuned to what your children are doing, what they're saying. We all have to be more aware, and that doesn't diminish your love."
At the time of her drug overdose death, Peterson's mother had said her daughter was "clean," but The Wrap noted she had struggled with substance abuse evidenced by past arrests.
Peterson was arrested in Greeley four times over the past two decades, the last in May 2012 for driving under the influence and on a drug paraphernalia charge. Booking photos of the actress from arrests in 2000, 2003 and 2005 included one showing her with two black eyes.
Her former "Can't Buy Me Love" co-star Patrick Dempsey offered his support to the family in a Twitter post after Peterson's death.
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