Hayden Panettiere has died at just 36 years of age, with an investigation now underway into the circumstances surrounding her sudden death.
Keep reading to learn more.
The Nashville and Scream actress Hayden Panettiere was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, August 16.
According to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, emergency responders arrived shortly after 1:50 p.m. and found Panettiere in cardiac arrest. CPR and advanced life-support efforts were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
Officials said there were no signs of trauma and that no foul play or suspicious activity had been identified.
Her official cause of death has not yet been released. Reports have also claimed that Narcan was found at the scene, while audio from the emergency response allegedly included references to an overdose. Those details have not been confirmed as the official cause of death.
The news has prompted renewed attention on Panettiere’s long struggle with substance abuse and her mental health. She previously spoke openly about battling addiction from a young age, as well as postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
Just three months before her death, Hayden Panettiere appeared on CBS Mornings, where she spoke with Gayle King about her life and career.
King recalled their off-camera conversation following the actress’ death, saying Panettiere had told her she was “in a good place,” although she could tell the actress was still struggling.
“We all woke up to the news this morning. It was so, so sad,” Gayle King said.
Panettiere had also recently spoken publicly about a disturbing experience she said happened when she was 18, alleging that a woman she trusted brought her to a yacht cabin where she was expected to have sex with a famous man.
Following her death, some social media users began connecting that revelation to her passing and suggesting foul play. Others pointed toward her former partner Brian Hickerson, who had previously faced domestic violence charges involving Panettiere and was reportedly at the apartment when she died.
However, there is currently no evidence publicly linking either allegation to Panettiere’s death, and authorities have not indicated that her death was suspicious.
Others have speculated about a possible heart condition, pointing to the death of Panettiere’s younger brother Jansen, who died in 2023 from an enlarged heart.
For now, the official cause of Hayden Panettiere’s death remains unknown as authorities continue investigating.
The actress, who began working in entertainment as a child, leaves behind a career spanning television and film, including Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise.
READ MORE
