Hayden Panettiere’s death at 36 ruled accidental by police

Hayden Panettiere’s death aged 36 from a drug overdose has been ruled accidental by police.

“Based on the Medical Examiner’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental,” the Greenville Police Department said in a statement.

The Greenville coroner’s office had ruled Panettiere’s death an accident last month, but police had kept the investigation open.

This ruling concludes the police investigation, the statement to CNN said.

Panettiere died on August 16 from a toxic mix of opioid fentanyl and other drugs, authorities said in September.

The Nashville star’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were both present at the South Carolina apartment were she was pronounced dead.

Police said Zach was “very emotional” and Brian was very composed until paramedics pronounced the actress dead, after more than 40 minutes of CPR.

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The coroner’s report said she suffered a previous overdose and that one of the Hickerson brothers, whose name was redacted, claimed Panettiere had “a long history of drug, alcohol and nitrous oxide abuse” and that he “has had to administer Narcan to the decedent before”.

Narcan is used as an emergency medication to reverse opioid overdoses. 

The same brother said he was unaware Panettiere had used drugs on the day of her death.

According to the report, Brian claimed he woke up on the Sunday morning and saw Panettiere putting on make-up.

He said they “ate cereal together” before Brian allegedly “fell back asleep” in the bedroom. He said he woke back up later that afternoon after hearing his brother knock on the front door. The trio had plans to go out to lunch, per the report.

One of the brothers – name redacted – went to wake up Panettiere, who was face down and unresponsive. She was also “purple in colour”.

The responding police officer, Matthew Bryan, was wearing a body camera throughout the response at the Airbnb Panettiere was staying at, however footage has not been publicly released.

Panettiere had publicly shared her struggles with mental health over the years, especially following the death of her brother, Jansen Panettiere, in 2023, at 28 from a heart condition.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed his daughter had spent time in a Malibu rehab facility shortly before her death.

Hayden Panettiere was open about her struggles

Just months before her death, Panettiere released a memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, exploring her life in the public eye, from a child actor to major star of shows including Heroes and Nashville.

In it, she discussed tabloid scrutiny, her experience with postpartum depression, substance and alcohol abuse and grief.

She also shared details of her complicated family dynamics, including a rocky relationship with her estranged mother, Lesley Vogel.

“Everything was business,” Panettiere recalled in a May interview of On Purpose with Jay Shetty.

“I became the confidant and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child.”

Hayden Panettiere’s ex secures her fortune

Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, aged 11.

The star’s ex-fiance, Wladimir Klitschko, made a legal move to secure the inheritance of Kaya after her mother’s death.

The former professional boxer requested he Klitschko be appointed the temporary guardian of Kaya’s estate.

At the time of her passing, Panettiere had a multi-million dollar net worth estimated between $8.5 million to $14 million.

Klitschko said Kaya, who lives in Ukraine with her father, “is entitled to the entirety” of the late Nashville star’s assets, Page Six stated.

Panettiere was farewelled at an emotional and intimate celebration of life service in Malibu on September 19.

The ceremony was attended by several high-profile guests including her former Nashville co-star Connie Britton, Evan Ross and Ruby Rose.

The National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline (1800 250 015) provides free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drugs, including available treatment options, and automatically directs the caller to the Alcohol and Drug Information Service in their state/territory.