Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, died from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and several other drugs, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina. The actress was 36.Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16. Her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the residence at the time.Paramedics responded to the apartment following a 911 call. More than 40 minutes of CPR and other advanced resuscitation efforts were performed before Panettiere was pronounced dead.Greenville County Coroner Mike Ellis said no signs of trauma that could have contributed to her death were found during the autopsy.
Fentanyl and several other drugs found in her system
According to a statement from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, a combination of fentanyl and its chemical byproduct was found in Panettiere’s system. The actress also had alprazolam, an anti-anxiety medication, in her system.A muscle relaxer and another drug used to treat major depression and other serious mental health disorders were also detected.The coroner classified Panettiere’s death as an accidental overdose but did not release further details from the autopsy report.
Investigation into Panettiere’s death continues
Kasey Kitchen, a publicist for Panettiere’s family, told The Associated Press following the coroner’s report that the investigation remains ongoing.“The investigation is still ongoing and the case is complex,” Kitchen said.Greenville Police also confirmed Tuesday that their investigation into Panettiere’s death is continuing.A police report released after her death had listed medications Panettiere was taking, although the names of the drugs had been redacted.
Hayden Panettiere’s career and personal struggles
Panettiere rose to fame as a child actor and went on to become widely recognised for her roles as Claire Bennet in Heroes and Juliette Barnes in Nashville.In her memoir, Panettiere spoke about her struggles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with Ukrainian former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Kaya was born in 2014.The actress also faced significant family tragedies. Her parents’ marriage was strained and eventually ended, while her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died from a heart condition in 2023 at the age of 28.
