Hayden Panettiere was found dead at the Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina. Now, her mother has directed her anger at Panettiere’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.
Famous actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, to mention a few, was found dead on Sunday at the age of 36.
911 was called at around 1:50 p.m. in response to a report of an “unidentified female” in cardiac arrest. Efforts were made to save her life, but unfortunately, it was too late.
“Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said in a statement, according to Page Six.
“The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call.”
Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson
According to TMZ, a device used to dispense Narcan, a medication typically used to reverse an opioid overdose, was found at the scene of Hayden’s death.
Panettiere’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother were at the scene when first responders arrived. They had traveled from Los Angeles to South Carolina on Saturday, August 15.
Her estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, 70, has now broken her silence about her daughter’s death, telling NBC News that Hickerson was a person Panettiere’s family had been attempting to remove from her life for a long time.
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death,” she said, according to VT, “and that was Brian Hickerson.”
Had been concerned about their relationship for years
She also pointed out that the time of her daughter’s death was concerning.
“It’s not at the typical hour of the day that you are partying, generally speaking,” she said.
According to Vogel, Panettiere’s father had been concerned about their relationship for years.
“There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him.”
Hickerson’s history with Panettiere has been tumultuous. In May 2019, he was arrested and charged with felony domestic violence against Panettiere. He later pleaded no contest in 2021 and was sentenced to 45 days in prison and four years’ probation. A five-year restraining order was also issued.
Just days before Panettiere’s death, a judge rejected Hickerson’s attempt to have his felony charges reduced to misdemeanors.
In her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, released just three months before her death, she wrote that Hickerson’s abuse was so severe that she was forced to remain out of the public eye for weeks to conceal her injuries.
Despite their history, however, the couple eventually got back together.
The investigation is ongoing
In the memoir, Panettiere also revealed many details about her strained relationship with her mother.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a relationship right now,” she told Us Weekly before the memoir’s release, adding that she had not completely closed the door on reconnecting one day.
Vogel herself said earlier this year in an interview with Page Six that she had chosen the ‘no-contact route’ after ‘20 years of trauma’.
It’s clear the conflict between her and Hickerson is mutual, as he told TMZ in May: “Hayden’s mother is by far one of the worst people I’ve ever met in my life. I just can’t with her. She’s terrible.”
Now, with the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death still under investigation, authorities have not released a confirmed cause or manner of death.
In a statement, coroner Mike Ellis said, “At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death. The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time.”
For now, authorities have not indicated that Hickerson is suspected of wrongdoing in Panettiere’s death. The investigation remains active, with her official cause and manner of death still pending.
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