Federal Probe Looks into Possible Southern California Drug Source in Hayden Panettiere Death
U.S. authorities are investigating whether actress Hayden Panettiere obtained counterfeit oxycodone from a Southern California dealer after she was found dead in South Carolina.
Federal investigators are examining whether the late actress obtained illicit medication from a dealer in Southern California, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. On August 16, emergency responders found Panettiere in cardiac arrest at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, and she could not be revived. The Greenville County coroner has not released an autopsy report, citing pending toxicology results. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles law-enforcement officials have interviewed several individuals about the case, focusing on her alleged use of counterfeit oxycodone.
"The investigation is centered on whether the medication she took was sourced from a Southern California supplier," a source familiar with the probe said. CNN has requested comments from the DEA, the FBI and local authorities in both Los Angeles and Greenville. Panettiere, who began her acting career as an infant, had previously spoken publicly about her struggles with depression and substance use. The story remains under development.