Watch: Hayden Panettiere Privately Entered Rehab Weeks Before Her Death
New details have emerged regardingHayden 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 BrianHickerson and his brother ZachHickerson, 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 aSept. 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 byTMZ 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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“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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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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