Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the South Carolina apartment where the actress passed away, as per a police report disclosed on Tuesday. A Greenville police officer arrived at the residence on Sunday and found the Hickerson brothers along with paramedics performing CPR on an unresponsive woman.
The officer noted that the woman showed no apparent physical cause for being unresponsive. Despite the efforts to revive her, Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m. No specific cause of death has been established, and the investigation into her passing is ongoing. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, and authorities confirmed no indications of foul play. The actress was 36 years old.
Panettiere and Brian Hickerson had a tumultuous relationship with allegations of physical abuse against him. In 2020, he faced multiple felony abuse charges, eventually pleading no contest to two counts of injuring a spouse or partner. Following a brief jail term, he was sentenced to four years of probation, mandatory anger management courses, and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions. Recently, his request to reduce his conviction to misdemeanors was denied by a Los Angeles judge.
The police report, heavily redacted, mentioned that Zach Hickerson identified the unresponsive woman as his brother’s girlfriend. The officer observed Zach being emotional during the resuscitation attempts, while Brian showed emotions only after her official declaration of death. Details of the conversation with Brian and the list of medications Panettiere was taking were redacted.
Panettiere’s former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, expressed his sorrow over her sudden demise. He emphasized the family’s deep shock and grief, acknowledging Panettiere’s importance in his life and as the mother of their daughter. The couple welcomed their daughter, Kaya, in 2014, and following their separation in 2018, Klitschko obtained full custody due to Panettiere’s struggles with addiction and postpartum depression.
The late actress had recently released a memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” where she candidly discussed her challenges with early fame, addiction, and postpartum depression. In an interview earlier this year, she clarified misconceptions about giving up custody of her daughter, emphasizing that it was not the case.
Tributes for Panettiere continue to pour in from colleagues and friends, commemorating her talent and spirit. Co-stars from “Nashville” and “Heroes” expressed their grief over her passing. Creator Tim Kring described Panettiere as an exceptional talent, admired for her acting prowess. Prior to her renowned roles in “Heroes” and “Nashville,” Panettiere began her acting career as a child star, appearing in films like “Remember the Titans” in 2000 alongside Denzel Washington.