A new investigative report has revealed disturbing details surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s accidental death from a drug overdose.
Panettiere was 36 when she died on August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both present when she was pronounced dead.
The Greenville County Medical Examiner later determined that the actress died from the “toxic effects” of multiple substances, including fentanyl. Investigators said pressed pills containing fentanyl were found on a table near her body.
According to a report obtained by TMZ, Panettiere was found face down on a sofa bed, sitting with her legs crossed, at the Airbnb where she had been staying. The report said she had turned “deep purple” as the brothers attempted unsuccessfully to rouse her.
A senior deputy coroner was dispatched to the Greenville property after the emergency was reported.
One of the brothers, whose identity was redacted in the report, told investigators he had seen Panettiere putting on makeup at around 10:30 a.m. on the day she died.
Newly released investigative findings detail the circumstances surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s fatal drug overdose. She is pictured in Los Angeles in 2022
Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were at the scene when Panettiere was pronounced dead. The pair are pictured in 2018
The brother said he “went back to bed and was later awakened by a knock at the door.” Soon afterward, the brothers found Panettiere unresponsive.
The investigator reported finding “blue pressed pills that tested positive for fentanyl,” as well as a straw on a table. White powder was also discovered inside a sunglasses case in Panettiere’s suitcase.
Brian administered two doses of Narcan, an emergency medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, before calling 911, the report stated.
The deputy coroner also recorded that one of the brothers “was unsure whether Hayden had consumed illicit drugs in the last two days because she was very good at hiding them.”
Panettiere’s father, Skip, was interviewed as part of the investigation. He told officials that his daughter had planned to celebrate her 37th birthday in Greenville on August 21 before traveling to Ukraine to visit her daughter.
The Daily Mail has contacted the Greenville County Medical Examiner’s Office for additional comment.
A spokesperson for the Greenville County Coroner’s Office previously confirmed to The Daily Mail that Panettiere died from the “toxic effects” of several drugs, including fentanyl.
Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid—approximately 50 times stronger than heroin—and even a few grains can prove fatal.
A spokesperson said: “An autopsy was completed by a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist. At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.
Hayden Panettiere’s cause of death was officially confirmed one month after the actress died at 36. She is pictured in Los Angeles in 2022
“The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine. The manner of death has been ruled accident.
“This case is administratively closed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.”
Methocarbamol is a prescription muscle relaxant used to treat short-term muscle pain, while Quetiapine, commonly known by the brand name Seroquel, is an antipsychotic prescription medication used to treat conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.
Alprazolam, known as Xanax, is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders and 4-ANPP is a chemical used as a main building block to make illegal fentanyl.
Last week, insiders told TMZ authorities believed Panettiere had fatally consumed a single oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl.
Panettiere had a ‘long time drug dealer’ in Los Angeles who she obtained narcotics from illegally, with oxycodone among them, sources told the outlet.
Authorities said that the day prior to her passing, Panettiere had taken multiple drugs she bought in Los Angeles before flying to South Carolina, where she was found dead the next day.
Panettiere’s rep said in a statement earlier this month: ‘As reported yesterday by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, Hayden’s death remains under investigation pending the completion of toxicology results, despite reports from some outlets stating otherwise.
‘Recent reports attributed to unnamed sources are unverified hearsay and have attributed to conflicting information that continues to circulate.’
The statement continued: ‘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.’
Panettiere is survived by a daughter, Kaya, now 11, who shares with ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko – pictured 2011
In 2018, when her daughter Kaya was three, she signed full custody to her ex amid her battle with postpartum depression and addiction and Wladimir moved their daughter to his native Ukraine
The late Heroes star’s rep concluded in saying that ‘the answers we are all seeking will come.’
On the day she died, first responders arrived at a Greenville, South Carolina, condo where attempts were made to resuscitate the actress, before she had been pronounced dead.
Hickerson’s lawyer Sloan Ellis said in a statement August 20 that ‘Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.
‘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.’
Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas, then gained wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar’s 1998 film A Bug’s Life.
Panettiere is remembered for her role as Claire Bennet on the hit NBC series Heroes
She played Juliette Barnes on the ABC show Nashville, releasing a number of her own songs
Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.
She earned two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress on the show, while her singing produced 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Panettiere’s film credits include 2006’s Bring It On: All or Nothing, the comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
She had an 11-year-old daughter called Kaya following a life-threatening birth, and later gave full custody of the child to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere’s passing was announced by her father Skip Panettiere, who said in a statement: ‘It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.
‘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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.’
Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, subsequently said that officials responded to an apartment in the area after receiving a report of an ‘unresponsive female’ via a possible ‘drug overdose,’ subsequently determined to be Panettiere.
