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Hayden Panettiere Privately Entered Rehab Weeks Before Her Death
New details have emerged regarding Hayden Panettiere’s final weeks.
Following the confirmation from the Greenville County Coroner's Office that the Nashville star died as a result of drugs in her system at a South Carolina Airbnb Aug. 16, a source close to Panettiere told E! News she had "proactively sought treatment and checked herself into a facility because she was afraid of relapsing and jeopardizing her sobriety."
The source added that Panettiere did so discreetly and left rehab around three weeks before her death.
The Heroes star’s treatment stay in the time leading up to her death was also confirmed in a report from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office obtained by Page Six that stated investigators were told by someone on the scene "that Panettiere “was in a drug rehab facility in Malibu, California, up until a few weeks ago."
The same person, according to the report, said the 36-year-old had overdosed prior to her time spent in rehab, and she’d had “a long history of drug, alcohol and nitrous oxide abuse.”
The person interviewed by the coroner’s investigator said they “had to administer Narcan to the decedent before.” As for Panettiere’s time in North Carolina alongside ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson, they added, per the report, they were “unaware of the decedent using any illegal substances yesterday or today but stated that she was very good at hiding them.”
E! News has reached out to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office for additional information but has not heard back.
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In a Sept. 22 release from the Greenville County Coroner's Office shared with E! News, the coroner formally ruled her cause of death as “toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine,” the latter of which are an anti-anxiety medication, a muscle relaxer and a medication to treat depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
The release noted the manner of Panettiere’s death was an accident and that “no signs of trauma were discovered” during her autopsy “that would have contributed to the death.”
A detailed report released by the Medical Examiner and also obtained by TMZ said the coroner also found blue pressed pills—which are counterfeit tablets made to look like regulated prescription medications—that tested positive for fentanyl. They also found a straw on the table near where Panettiere’s body was found as well as a sunglasses case containing white powder inside her suitcase.
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The report also stated that Panettiere had turned “deep purple” when the Brian and Zach discovered her body. Zach previously told TMZ that upon discovering the Remember the Titans star’s body, he “immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan.”
Following the confirmation of Panettiere’s cause of death, her rep shared additional insight into the status of the Racing Stripes star’s case with authorities.
“The investigation remains ongoing and the circumstances surrounding the case are complex,” Kasey Kitchen told E! News on Sept. 22. “We must all continue to remain patient and allow the investigative process to unfold.”
For more about what we know so far about Panettiere’s death, keep reading.
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When Did Hayden Panettiere Die?
Hayden Panettiere died in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 16. She was 36.
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How Did Hayden Panettiere Die?
After receiving a 911 call at around 1:51 p.m. on Aug. 16, first responders and emergency medical services arrived at a residence in Greenville and found a woman—later identified as Panettiere—in cardiac arrest, according to a release shared by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office the following day. While "advanced cardiac life support measures" were provided, the release continued, the "resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful" as Panettiere was unresponsive. The actress was pronounced dead at the scene a little after 2:30 p.m. In audio of the emergency dispatch call obtained by CNN and TMZ, EMS responders could be heard discussing an apparent overdose.
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What Was Hayden Panettiere's Cause of Death?
In its Aug. 17 release, the coroner's office confirmed an autopsy was completed and that "no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death" of the Heroes star.
About a month later, Panettiere's official cause of death was revealed.
"The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine," the Greenville County Coroner's Office said in a statement Sept. 22. "The manner of death has been ruled accident."
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Who Was With Hayden Panettiere When She Died?
The Greenville City Police Department noted in its Aug. 17 release that "an acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call," with a redacted police report obtained by E! listing both Brian Hickerson—her on-again, off-again boyfriend since 2018— and his brother Zach Hickerson as the ones to call 911.
Zach later told officers investigating Panettiere's death that she was Brian's girlfriend, according to Greenville City PD's report.
Zach also shared in an Aug. 21 statement to TMZ that Brian gave Panettiere Narcan—an opioid overdose reversal medication—after the pair found the actress unconscious in the apartment she was renting. Zach also said that he and Brian "jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived."
Police noted in an Aug. 16 release that "the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances" around her death.
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How Did Brian Hickerson and Zach Hickerson React to Hayden Panettiere's Death?
In the police report, an officer noted Zach was "very emotional while EMS were working on" Panettiere, though
"Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased."
E! News has reached out to Zach for comment but has not heard back. Meanwhile, Brian's attorney Sloan Ellis has spoken out.
"Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed," Ellis told E! News Aug. 20. "As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."
And while police told People officers "responded to a call for a welfare check at a home belonging to Brian Hickerson’s family" on Aug. 19, they noted "the call is unrelated to the Hayden Panettiere death investigation and did not require an incident report."
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What Has Hayden Panettiere's Family Said About Her Death?
After Panettiere died, her father Skip Panettiere told ABC News she was "an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her—and to the millions who watched her onscreen."
Two days later, her mother Lesley Vogel broke her silence.
"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 told NBC News Aug. 18, "and that was Brian Hickerson."
While Panettiere—whose brother Jansen died in 2023 at age 28—and her mom had publicly spoken about their estrangement, Vogel remembered her daughter as "an amazingly talented person in so many departments."
"I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry—it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry," she added, "and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path."
Additionally, her ex Wladimir Klitschko addressed his "profound shock and grief" he and their daughter Kaya were facing in the wake of Panettiere's death. The Ukranian boxer further vowed to keep the Nashville alum's legacy alive in Kaya's memory.
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