Brooke Shields's mother Teri dies at 79

Brooke Shields's mother has died.

The actress's 79-year-old mum, Teri Shields, died last Wednesday (October 31) from a long illness related to dementia, a spokesperson told The New York Times.

The single mother began managing and promoting Brooke when she was 11 months old, kick-starting her career with a Dove advertisement and a Calvin Klein campaign when she was 15.

Teri — whose full name was Theresa Anna Lillian Schmon — also controversially allowed Brooke to be photographed nude at the age of 10 and star as a child prostitute in the controversial film Pretty Baby in 1978 when she was 12.

She insisted at the time that she wasn't exploiting her child but was actually making the most of her striking looks.

Teri said: "Fortunately, Brooke was at an age where she couldn't talk back ... one, they see total innocence, which is totally there. And two, they have the sexy child too, they have the sexy person — that appeals to them."

Brooke began managing her modelling and acting career herself in her 20s and has since claimed that her relationship with her mother suffered as a consequence.