The investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere remains open, and now the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has joined the case to clarify the causes of her premature death. According to several U.S. media outlets, the DEA is collaborating with the coroner’s office and the Greenville County police, the city in South Carolina where the actress was found unconscious and declared dead last Sunday, August 16, at the age of 36. Since then, several theories about the cause of her death have circulated. For now, the official information known is that the initial autopsy data have ruled out signs of violence or injuries — toxicology report results are still awaited. “The preliminary investigation has not revealed any indications of criminal activity or suspicious circumstances,” the police also reported.
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An officer was the one who found the actress, known for her work in Heroes, Nashville, and Scream, at the residence after receiving a 911 call, according to the report released by the Greenville police. The document also notes that at the time of death she was with Brian Hickerson, with whom she had an on-and-off relationship and whom she had accused of abuse in the past, and with his brother, Zac Hickerson. It was her ex-partner who showed the authorities a bag with the medications the actress was taking and, according to People, Narcan, an emergency medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, was found at the scene. The same publication states that during the emergency call, personnel were heard talking about an overdose and cardiac arrest, but it is currently unknown if Panettiere consumed drugs or alcohol.
The actress, who began her career as a child star, spoke openly on several occasions about her addiction problems, her violent relationship with Brian Hickerson, and the postpartum depression she suffered after the birth of her daughter Kaya Klitschko in 2014, the result of her relationship with former heavyweight boxing world champion Vladimir Klitschko. In her memoirs published last May, titled This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere spoke about several experiences she navigated during that period, including the rejection she faced when she decided to talk about her postpartum depression. She recounted that Neutrogena was one of the companies that tried to end their collaboration.
Her past statements about her final relationship with the cosmetics brand went viral after her sudden death and sparked a wave of criticism and calls to boycott Neutrogena. Following this, on Thursday the company admitted that it made the actress, who was their ambassador for over a decade, feel abandoned after she spoke openly about her struggle with postpartum depression. “Hayden was a valuable member of our community. We are proud to have collaborated with her and understand that we made her feel abandoned at such a difficult time. This does not represent Neutrogena’s values nor the image we want to project,” reads a statement published on their official Instagram account.
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The company has expressed regret over the actress’s death and highlights that she showed great courage by sharing an experience that “helped generate important conversations and raise awareness.” Additionally, the company announced that it is making “a significant investment alongside a long-standing community health partner to help more women access the support they need, including care for postpartum depression.”
Brian Hickerson’s lawyer, her ex-partner, has also spoken. “Hayden’s death is still under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to continue,” Sloan Ellis said Thursday, August 20, to TMZ. “As has been publicly reported, the police confirmed there were no signs of a crime. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, no further comments will be made at this time,” he added.
Lesley Vogel, Panettiere’s mother, described Hickerson as “that person in her life we had been trying to get rid of for quite some time,” in a recent interview with NBC News. And in statements to Inside Edition, Mia Terrazzas, the actress’s neighbor, recalled calling 911 at least six times to report domestic violence incidents at her apartment. “This predator was in our community. He never stopped living in her house. There were occasions when he destroyed her bathroom, where, without further ado, he started hitting with a sledgehammer at five in the morning,” she recounted.
During their relationship, Hickerson was arrested numerous times for domestic violence. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to two felony charges of injuring his partner and was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of probation, 52 domestic violence classes, $500 in restitution, and a five-year protection order.
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