Actress Hayden Panettiere was found unresponsive on Sunday at an Airbnb in Greenville, South Carolina, and later pronounced dead at the scene. She was 36 years old.
Detectives responded to a 911 call around 1:50 p.m. local time from an acquaintance who described Panettiere as unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, according to a call recording obtained by the Daily Mail. Narcan, a nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdoses, was reportedly found at the apartment, though it is unclear if it was administered.
Paramedics attempted resuscitation but Panettiere was pronounced dead more than 40 minutes after the initial call. Police and the coroner's office are investigating the death, but preliminary findings have not indicated any foul play or suspicious circumstances. An autopsy has been completed with no signs of trauma found that would have contributed to the death; a cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Panettiere's father, Alan Lee 'Skip' Panettiere, announced her death in a statement, calling her "an incredible light and a force of nature." He requested privacy for the family as they process their loss.
The news came as a surprise to many, as Panettiere had recently promoted her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," released in May. She had spoken on a podcast earlier this year about feeling positive and looking forward to new possibilities.
Panettiere's career began in infancy, appearing in commercials at 11 months old. She gained early recognition in soap operas and the TV sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle" before landing a starring role in the Disney movie "Tiger Cruise." Her breakthrough came with the NBC series "Heroes" in 2006, where she played a cheerleader with healing powers. She later starred as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama "Nashville" and appeared in the "Scream" film franchise.
In her memoir and interviews, Panettiere detailed struggles with addiction, mental health, and personal trauma, including losing custody of her daughter, Kaya, to ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko in 2018. She also spoke about the challenges of postpartum depression and a difficult relationship with her mother, Lesley Vogel, who had served as her manager. Panettiere's brother, Jansen, also a child actor, died in 2023 at the age of 28.
Panettiere was seen with crutches in March, reportedly due to pinched nerves in her lower back, stemming from an injury sustained in 2005 while filming in South Africa. She had also canceled an appearance at a horror convention in July due to a family emergency.
Her ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was with her in South Carolina. The couple had dated on and off between 2018 and 2022, and Hickerson had previously been convicted of felony assault charges related to an incident involving Panettiere.