Newly released police documentation provides further context regarding the final hours of actress Hayden Panettiere, who was pronounced dead on Sunday at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina. According to the report, emergency services were contacted by the actress’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach Hickerson, who reported that Panettiere was unresponsive. A responding officer noted in the report that he spoke with Zach Hickerson first, who identified the woman as his brother’s girlfriend. During the interaction, Brian Hickerson provided the officer with a bag containing the actress’s medications, though the official report remains heavily redacted, obscuring the specific list of substances.
Emergency personnel had been dispatched to the scene following a 911 call regarding a reported cardiac arrest. Despite attempts by medics to resuscitate her, Panettiere was declared dead at the location. An autopsy conducted on Monday confirmed there were no signs of physical trauma that contributed to her passing, though the official cause and manner of death remain pending further laboratory testing. While dispatch audio from the incident, obtained via Broadcastify.com, referenced a potential overdose, authorities have not confirmed whether an overdose was the cause of death.
The death of the 37-year-old actress, known for her roles in the series “Heroes” and “Nashville,” has prompted an outpouring of grief. Wladimir Klitschko, her former partner and a former world heavyweight boxing champion from Ukraine, expressed his condolences on social media, stating, “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.” He added, “She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry.” The couple shared an 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, who remains in Klitschko’s custody.
Panettiere’s father, Skip Panettiere, also issued a statement through a representative, noting the family’s profound sadness. The actress’s passing comes just years after the death of her brother, voice-over actor Jansen Panettiere, who died in 2023 at age 28 due to an enlarged heart and aortic valve complications. In a recent interview with podcaster Jay Shetty, the actress had spoken candidly about that loss, remarking that nothing in her life felt like losing her “other half.”
Born on August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, Panettiere began her career as an infant in commercials. She gained early recognition for her work on the soap opera “Guiding Light” and as the voice of Princess Dot in the 1998 film “A Bug’s Life.” Her co-star from “Guiding Light,” Bethany Joy Lenz, recalled the actress’s remarkable intelligence and work ethic even as a child. Panettiere later achieved widespread fame for her portrayal of the cheerleader Claire Bennet in “Heroes” and as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama “Nashville.”
Beyond her acting career, Panettiere was recognized for her advocacy, including being honored by Washington, D.C. officials in 2011 for her support of local voting rights and statehood. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, she launched a relief fund to provide medical supplies and protective gear to those affected by the conflict. In recent years, she had returned to acting with roles in the 2024 film “Amber Alert” and the 2026 production “Sleepwalker,” while also releasing a memoir detailing her personal struggles with addiction and mental health.
The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA issued a statement mourning the “sudden passing” of the performer, who had been a member since 1994. Meanwhile, residents at the apartment complex where the incident occurred reported seeing emergency activity on Sunday. One resident, Micah Lee, noted that he heard reports of someone collapsing, though property management subsequently instructed residents not to discuss the matter with the media. has reached out to Brian and Zach Hickerson for comment regarding the incident. The report also notes that who said they called 911, according to a police report released Tuesday, a Greenville police officer who responded to the scene interviewed brothers Brian and Zach Hickerson. The report also notes that emergency personnel responded to a 911 call about a “reported cardiac arrest” in Greenville, the county coroner’s Office said Monday, on Sunday afternoon. The report also notes that “I heard through the door that a person had collapsed,” Lee told. The report also notes that panettiere, known for playing an indestructible cheerleader in the series “Heroes” and a country music sensation in the show “Nashville,” was found in cardiac arrest at the residence she was visiting in Greenville on Sunday afternoon, a coroner’s office said. The report also notes that where the father of their child mourned the beloved actress and activist who battled a host of struggles, panetteire’s shocking death sent waves of grief from Hollywood to Ukraine. The report also notes that panettiere soared to stardom in the early 2000s before stepping back from the public spotlight as she battled addiction and mental health challenges and recently released a memoir describing her struggles. The report also notes that but quickly went back into his apartment, he poked his head out to see a lot of people in the hallway. The report also notes that “All media inquiries should be directed to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.”.
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