The investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death has widened, with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reportedly assisting authorities examining what happened. The actress died Sunday at 36 after responders found her unresponsive at a South Carolina apartment. Preliminary findings have not identified trauma that contributed to her death.
Authorities investigate circumstances surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s death
Questions surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s death have grown as federal agents enter the picture. TMZ says the DEA is now assisting with investigations already underway. Police records obtained by Fox News Digital say the actress’ on-and-off partner Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach discovered her in cardiac arrest and called emergency services. Hickerson also turned over a bag of medication that she had reportedly been using.
Investigators later visited the Greenville apartment as well as a South Carolina property associated with the Hickerson brothers. Officers conducting a welfare check at the second location got no answer. For now, there is no confirmed explanation for Panettiere’s death, as preliminary autopsy findings have not determined a cause.
Panettiere had previously been candid about the road she traveled while trying to turn her life around. In a 2022 PEOPLE interview, she revealed that her struggles with alcohol and opioids began after she was given what she called “happy pills” as a teenager. She later opened up even further in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” putting some of her hardest experiences on the page.
Long before those personal battles became public, Panettiere was already a familiar face on screen. She started acting at just 4 years old with “One Life to Live” and later appeared in “Remember the Titans.” Her breakout came with “Heroes,” where she played Claire Bennet, followed by “Nashville,” which earned her two Golden Globe nominations for her role as country singer Juliette Barnes.
Even near the end of her life, Panettiere continued using her platform for causes close to her heart. She filmed a PETA campaign encouraging people to steer clear of marine parks where dolphins are kept captive, with the organization releasing the footage after her death. Her activism stretched back years, including a 2007 trip to Japan where she confronted dolphin hunters.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
