Hayden Panettiere found in cardiac arrest before death, coroner says

On August 16, 2026, the Greenville County Coroner's Office reported that actress Hayden Panettiere was found in cardiac arrest before her death. The 36-year-old, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, passed away on Sunday. A 911 call was made at 1:51pm regarding a cardiac arrest at 701 Easley Bridge Road in Greenville. First responders, upon arrival, found Panettiere in cardiac arrest.

Despite emergency medical services' advanced life support measures, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at 2:32pm. An autopsy conducted on Monday found no signs of trauma that could have contributed to her death. The coroner's office stated that her official cause and manner of death are pending further investigation and additional studies, including a toxicology report.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement to ABC News, expressing profound sadness over her passing. He requested privacy for the family during their time of loss. Born in New York on August 21, 1989, Panettiere started her acting career at 11 months old and made her first on-screen appearance at six years old in the soap opera One Life to Live.

She gained prominence for her role as Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes, which ran from 2006 to 2010. Panettiere also starred in the musical drama Nashville and appeared in various films throughout her career. She returned to the Scream franchise in Scream VI in 2023 after a hiatus. In May, Panettiere released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, where she discussed her experiences in the entertainment industry and the challenges she faced.

Panettiere's younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly in 2023 at 28 years old due to cardiomegaly and complications with the aortic valve.