Teri Shields | Actress' mother, 79

Teri Shields, 79, who launched daughter Brooke's on-camera career when she was a baby and managed the young star into her 20s, sometimes with controversy, has died.

Jill Fritzo, a spokeswoman for Brooke Shields, confirmed Tuesday that Teri Shields died last week in New York City. The New York Times reported that the elder Shields died after a long illness related to dementia.

Teri Shields started promoting her daughter as an actress and model when she was still a baby and allowed her to be cast as a child prostitute in 1978's Pretty Baby when she was just 11, sparking an outcry over the decision.

Brooke Shields parted ways professionally with her mother in 1995, describing the move as "the hardest thing."

The actress told Rolling Stone the following year that "something didn't feel right."

"I had hopes and dreams, and I wasn't doing anything to go toward them," she said. "The focus was on creating a persona rather than a talent."

Teri Shields said in 1996 that she was proud of her daughter for taking control of her life and career. "I would love for Brooke to be my best friend," she told TV's Extra, "but you can't because I am her mother and she is my daughter."

Ms. Shields is also survived by a sister and two granddaughters. - AP