Lesley Vogel, the mother of late actress Hayden Panettiere, has stated that she believes a "toxic individual" contributed to her estrangement from her daughter and ultimately led to Panettiere's death at age 36. Vogel told Entertainment Tonight that her daughter became involved with the "wrong person," and that the family's attempts to remove this individual from Panettiere's life were unsuccessful.
Vogel did not name the person but had previously criticized Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson, stating that the family had been "trying to get rid of" him for some time. Panettiere died on Sunday, shortly before her 37th birthday, following a suspected overdose. Her relationship with Hickerson, which spanned from 2018 to 2022, was marked by domestic violence incidents and arrests, with Hickerson previously serving jail time for abusing her. The two had been seen together again in recent months.
"Although my daughter and I were estranged, it was not for lack of care or love. It was due to the involvement of a toxic individual who I believe led to her death," Vogel said in her statement. "Hayden was a beautiful and talented young woman who unfortunately became involved with the wrong person, and although her family tried to extricate him from her life, we were unable to be successful."
Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, responded to an apartment after receiving a report of an unresponsive female, with paramedics noting a suspected overdose. First responders found Narcan, a nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdoses, at the scene. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reportedly joined the investigation into Panettiere's passing, a development that Vogel believes indicates lingering questions surrounding the circumstances of her death.
"It leads me to believe there are still questions surrounding what happened, and I think we are all looking for answers," Vogel told Entertainment Tonight. Official toxicology results are pending to confirm if narcotics contributed to Panettiere's death. Police and the coroner's office are conducting parallel investigations, and initial reports indicated no signs of trauma or foul play.
Hickerson and his brother were present at the apartment when Panettiere was pronounced dead. Hickerson's lawyer stated that the investigation is ongoing and that police confirmed no signs of foul play. The lawyer declined further comment out of respect for Panettiere's loved ones and the ongoing investigation.
Panettiere, a former child star, gained recognition for her roles in "Remember the Titans," "Heroes," and "Nashville," for which she received two Golden Globe nominations. She also voiced Dot in Pixar's "A Bug's Life" and appeared in several "Scream" films. She had an 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, to whom she later gave full custody.