Hayden Panettiere’s death is ruled accidental as police close probe

Marlene LenthangWed, October 28, 2026 at 9:08 PM UTC

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(Roy Rochlin)

Actor Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled an accident and the case is now closed, police in South Carolina announced Wednesday.

“Based on the Medical Examiner’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental,” Greenville police said, noting the investigation has concluded.

Panettiere, 36, the actor who starred in the shows “Heroes” and “Nashville,” was found unresponsive on Aug. 16 in a South Carolina apartment complex where she was staying.

Last month, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office ruled her death an accident caused by the toxic effects of multiple drugs: fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine.

The coroner said there were no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death. Police also have said no signs of foul play were found during the initial response and investigation.

Panettiere, who had publicly discussed her struggle with addiction, had been in rehab just weeks before, according to the coroner’s report.

Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was at the apartment complex at the time of her death. He showed police a “bag of medication” he said she was taking at the time, according to the police report.

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After the coroner’s report was issued, Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, called her daughter a “fighter” who was “transparent with her addictions and her numerous rehab attempts show her resolve to live a healthy life.”

Vogel also said at the time that she had “never heard Hayden speak of fentanyl.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration was also investigating, a source familiar with the probe previously told NBC News. The agency typically looks into the narcotics involved in a case, how they were obtained and whether any laws were broken in procuring the drugs.

Panettiere entered Hollywood as a child actor and later carved her own path, starring in the films “Remember the Titans,” “Ice Princess” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”

In her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” she detailed how her life began to spiral after she had a daughter with Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. She began drinking heavily to cope with postpartum depression and Klitschko’s distance, she wrote in the book.

She checked into rehab and gave Klitschko custody of their child in 2018.

In the book, she also discussed grappling with pain and grief after her brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a drug or substance abuse problem, call these numbers for help: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s national helpline is 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357); the National Drug Helpline is 1-844-289-0879; and the American Addiction Centers’ hotline is (866) 464-3073.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”