Hayden Panettiere’s Cause of Death Ruled Accidental by Authorities

Authorities have officially ruled the death of actress Hayden Panettiere as accidental, according to a statement shared with Fox News Digital by the Greenville Police Department. This conclusion follows the Medical Examiner’s assessment and marks the end of the police investigation into her passing.

Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in “Heroes” and “Remember the Titans,” passed away on August 16 at the age of 36 in Greenville, South Carolina. Emergency responders found her unresponsive at an apartment in the area.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office reported that Panettiere died due to the toxic effects of fentanyl, along with several other substances, including 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol, and quetiapine. The office detailed that a 911 call at 1:51 PM reported a cardiac arrest at her location. Although emergency services tried advanced cardiac life support, they could not revive her, and she was pronounced dead at 2:32 PM.

At the time of her death, Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were present. The police report noted Zach was notably emotional during paramedic efforts, while Brian became visibly affected once Panettiere was declared deceased. The two had traveled from Los Angeles together the previous day and had been involved romantically despite a brief breakup in 2022.

Brian Hickerson’s brother confirmed to police the relationship with Panettiere at the time of her death. Panettiere leaves behind her daughter, Kaya, who she had with her ex-fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko has expressed his mourning and commitment to keep her memory alive for their daughter.

Bonny Chu is a writer for Fox News Digital specializing in Breaking and Trending News.