Hayden Panettiere’s Rep Details “Complex” Case After Cause of Death
The search for answers surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s death is still underway.
After the Greenville County Coroner’s Office ruled that the Heroes actress accidentally died from “toxic effects” of fentanyl and four other substances, further referring to the manner of death as an accident, her rep confirmed authorities are still looking into the situation.
“The investigation remains ongoing and the circumstances surrounding the case are complex,” Kasey Kitchen told CNN in a Sept. 22 statement. “We must all continue to remain patient and allow the investigative process to unfold.”
In the Sept. 22 report from the coroner’s office, the medical examiner shared that the other substances in her system included 4-ANPP, a chemical that the Drug Enforcement Administration has noted indicates that the fentanyl was non-pharmaceutical and illicitly manufactured, according to the National Institutes of Health, and the prescription medications Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine.
When first responders were dispatched to the home in South Carolina where Panettiere died Aug. 16, they treated her for a possible overdose, according to 911 dispatch calls obtained by People and TMZ. (Her on again, off again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were on the scene when she died.)
In the weeks after Panettiere’s death, her team has urged the public to not speculate about the circumstances and remain patient as the investigation unfolds.
“While we are all eager to find closure and better understand the circumstances surrounding her passing, we must remain patient and allow the investigative process to unfold,” the rep said on Sept. 16. “The answers we are all seeking will come.”
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Three days before her cause of death was confirmed, Panettiere’s former costars and friends—including her Nashville costar Connie Britton—gathered for a memorial service in Malibu, Calif.
The Friday Night Lights actress also paid her respects last month, writing on Instagram, “I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now."
For all the details surrounding Panettiere’s tragic loss, keep reading…
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When Did Hayden Panettiere Die?
Hayden Panettiere died in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 16. She was 36.
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How Did Hayden Panettiere Die?
After receiving a 911 call at around 1:51 p.m. on Aug. 16, first responders and emergency medical services arrived at a residence in Greenville and found a woman—later identified as Panettiere—in cardiac arrest, according to a release shared by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office the following day.
While "advanced cardiac life support measures" were provided, the release continued, the "resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful" as Panettiere was unresponsive. The actress was pronounced dead at the scene a little after 2:30 p.m.
In audio of the emergency dispatch call obtained by CNN and TMZ, EMS responders could be heard discussing an apparent overdose.
However, the official cause and manner of death were not initially revealed as the coroner's office and Greenville City Police Department continued their investigations.Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
What Was Hayden Panettiere's Cause of Death?
In its Aug. 17 release, the coroner's office confirmed an autopsy was completed and that "no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death" of the Heroes star.
About a month later, Panettiere's official cause of death was revealed.
"The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine," the Greenville County Coroner's Office said in a statement Sept. 22. "The manner of death has been ruled accident."
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Who Was With Hayden Panettiere When She Died?
The Greenville City Police Department noted in its Aug. 17 release that "an acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call," with a redacted police report obtained by E! listing both Brian Hickerson—her on-again, off-again boyfriend since 2018— and his brother Zach Hickerson as the ones to call 911.
Zach later told officers investigating Panettiere's death that she was Brian's girlfriend, according to Greenville City PD's report.
Zach also shared in an Aug. 21 statement to TMZ that Brian gave Panettiere Narcan—an opioid overdose reversal medication—after the pair found the actress unconscious in the apartment she was renting. Zach also said that he and Brian "jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived."
Police noted in an Aug. 16 release that "the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances" around her death.
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How Did Brian Hickerson and Zach Hickerson React to Hayden Panettiere's Death?
In the police report, an officer noted Zach was "very emotional while EMS were working on" Panettiere, though
"Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased."
E! News has reached out to Zach for comment but has not heard back. Meanwhile, Brian's attorney Sloan Ellis has spoken out.
"Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed," Ellis told E! News Aug. 20. "As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."
And while police told People officers "responded to a call for a welfare check at a home belonging to Brian Hickerson’s family" on Aug. 19, they noted "the call is unrelated to the Hayden Panettiere death investigation and did not require an incident report."
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What Has Hayden Panettiere's Family Said About Her Death?
After Panettiere died, her father Skip Panettiere told ABC News she was "an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her—and to the millions who watched her onscreen."
Two days later, her mother Lesley Vogel broke her silence.
"This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death," she told NBC News Aug. 18, "and that was Brian Hickerson."
While Panettiere—whose brother Jansen died in 2023 at age 28—and her mom had publicly spoken about their estrangement, Vogel remembered her daughter as "an amazingly talented person in so many departments."
"I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry—it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry," she added, "and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path."
Additionally, her ex Wladimir Klitschko addressed his "profound shock and grief" he and their daughter Kaya were facing in the wake of Panettiere's death. The Ukranian boxer further vowed to keep the Nashville alum's legacy alive in Kaya's memory.
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