GREENVILLE, S.C. – Actress Hayden Panettiere, 36, died from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and several other substances, according to a coroner’s report obtained by the Associated Press.
Details of the incident
Panettiere was discovered unresponsive in an Airbnb apartment on Aug. 16. Her on‑and‑off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were present at the time.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office found a combination of fentanyl, its chemical by‑product, the anti‑anxiety medication alprazolam, a muscle relaxer and a drug used to treat major depression in her system.
Evidence found at the scene
A senior deputy coroner reported finding blue pressed pills and a straw on a table that later tested positive for fentanyl, as well as a white powdery substance in a sunglasses case inside Panettiere’s suitcase.
One of the men said he saw Panettiere applying makeup at 10:30 a.m. that day. He later returned to find her face‑down on a sofa bed, legs crossed, with a deep purple discoloration. He administered two doses of Narcan before calling 911, but she was declared dead after more than 40 minutes of advanced resuscitation.
Family and investigation
When investigators contacted Panettiere’s father, he mentioned that she had planned to celebrate her birthday in Greenville and then travel to Ukraine to visit her daughter.
Publicist Kasey Kitchen said the investigation remains ongoing and complex. Greenville Police confirmed the case is still under active investigation.
Background on Panettiere
Panettiere rose to fame on TV shows such as “Heroes” and “Nashville.” In her memoir “This Is Me,” released in May, she discussed lifelong scars from early fame, struggles with alcohol addiction, postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter Kaya with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and ongoing mental‑health challenges.
She also faced personal turmoil, including the 2020 felony abuse charges against Hickerson, which resulted in probation, anger‑management classes and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Hickerson’s recent request to reduce his conviction to misdemeanors was denied.
Panettiere had entered rehab while filming “Nashville” and previously described a “horrible cycle” of alcohol and drug use to cope with depression and anxiety.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
