Hayden Panettiere died from accidental overdose involving fentanyl, coroner says

Actor Hayden Panettiere, 36, passed away from an accidental overdose of multiple drugs, including fentanyl, according to the South Carolina coroner. Panettiere was discovered unconscious in her Greenville, South Carolina apartment on August 16th, with her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson present.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office revealed that fentanyl, its byproduct, alprazolam, a muscle relaxer, and a drug used for treating severe mental health conditions were all present in Panettiere's system. The coroner's office has not disclosed additional details from the autopsy report. Her publicist stated that the investigation is ongoing and complex.

Greenville Police affirmed that they are continuing their probe into Panettiere's death. Emergency responders arrived at her apartment following a 911 call and administered CPR and other advanced life-saving measures for over 40 minutes before she was pronounced dead. No signs of trauma were found in her autopsy, according to Greenville County Coroner Mike Ellis.

The police report, which was released after her death, listed the medications Panettiere was taking, but the specific drug names were omitted. Panettiere gained prominence through her roles in TV series "Heroes" and "Nashville." She has publicly discussed her struggles with lifelong scars from her early fame, alcohol addiction, and postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in 2014.

She also faced numerous family challenges and tragedies, including the end of her parents' marriage and the death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who was also an actor, from a heart condition in 2023 at the age of 28.