The Greenville Police Department has officially closed its investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere, ruling it accidental. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office had already reached that conclusion, determining the 36-year-old died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine. An autopsy showed no contributing trauma.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at a Greenville apartment on August 16, where she had been temporarily staying, and was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. Her boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were at the apartment when she died. While the coroner closed its case after establishing cause and manner of death, police kept their investigation open longer before arriving at the same determination.
For Suncoast audiences, Panettiere was a familiar face across TV and film, from “Heroes” and “Nashville” to “Ice Princess” and the “Scream” franchise. Her memoir, released in May, addressed the pressures of child stardom and her struggles with addiction. The case has renewed attention on fentanyl and the dangers of mixed prescription drug toxicity. If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988 at any time.
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