Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the South Carolina apartment where the actress passed away. A police report revealed that a Greenville police officer arrived at the residence and found paramedics attempting CPR on an unresponsive woman. Despite efforts to revive her, Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m. The exact cause of her death is still unknown, and investigations are ongoing. The autopsy did not show signs of physical trauma or foul play.
Panettiere and Brian Hickerson had a tumultuous relationship, with allegations of physical abuse against him. In 2020, he faced charges of felony abuse and ultimately pleaded no contest to injuring a spouse or partner. After a brief jail term, he received probation, anger management, and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions. Recently, his request to downgrade his conviction to misdemeanors was denied by a Los Angeles judge.
In a redacted police report, it was mentioned that Zach Hickerson was emotional during the emergency response, while Brian showed emotions only after Panettiere’s death was confirmed. Details of the conversation with Brian were redacted, as well as a list of medications the actress was taking. Panettiere’s ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko expressed sorrow over her sudden death and emphasized her importance in his life as the mother of their daughter, Kaya.
Panettiere, who would have turned 37 soon, had candidly discussed her struggles with early fame, addiction, and postpartum depression in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.” Despite misconceptions, she clarified in an interview that she did not give up her child, who resides with Klitschko in Ukraine. Tributes from friends, co-stars, and industry figures continue to flood in for the late actress, highlighting her talent and spirit.