In a poignant moment of reflection following her daughter Hayden Panettiere’s tragic passing, Lesley Vogel has pointedly accused her ex, Brian Hickerson. Hayden had been open about enduring domestic violence during her time with Hickerson, and though they reconciled shortly before her untimely death, Vogel holds him responsible.
Hayden Panettiere’s mom spoke to police about Brian Hickerson
Prior to Hayden’s death, she and Hickerson traveled together to South Carolina. Vogel candidly expressed to the Daily Mail her belief that Hickerson holds significant accountability in the loss of her daughter.
“I hold him accountable,” Vogel divulged she had informed the authorities.
Vogel also expressed skepticism regarding the account of events provided by Hickerson and his brother to the police.
“I suspect there are inconsistencies in their timeline,” she stated. “For instance, I suspect Brian had to leave Hayden and go purchase Narcan because it’s unlikely he just had two bottles handy. When EMTs responded, it was for a cardiac arrest, and typically those in cardiac distress aren’t motionless; they make sounds.”
In a different interview, Vogel said that she wanted to get Hickerson out of Panettiere’s life.
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson,” she told NBC News.
Despite this, police have said that they found no signs of foul play in Panettiere’s death.
Hayden Panettiere put out a statement about Brian Hickerson
In 2020, police arrested Hickerson on charges of domestic violence. After this, Panettiere said she wanted to be open about her story to help others in abusive relationships.
“I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,” she said. “I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.”
She delved further into their relationship in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning.
She also had a fraught relationship with her mom
Vogel has spoken about her daughter after her death. During Panettiere’s lifetime, though, they were estranged.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a relationship right now,” Panettiere told Us Weekly several months before her death. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t leave the door open for the opportunity to present itself one day. It’s hard for me to say, but I’ve chosen to be brutally honest.”
In response, Vogel said her daughter was “entitled” and lacked empathy. She explained that she chose to cut off their relationship. She also accused Panettiere of discussing their dynamic to sell books.
“After 20 years of trauma, I took the advice of professionals and chose the no-contact route,” she told Page Six. “As many parents of entertainment children [know], we are all too familiar with the painful observation of watching the self-destructive paths they sometimes choose. No parent hopes for this scenario; we want our children to be the best of themselves and live a peaceful, joyful life!”
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.