Investigation Details Drugs Found in Actress Hayden Panettiere's Fatal Overdose
The Greenville County Coroner's Office ruled actress Hayden Panettiere's death an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and several other substances, while investigators continue to trace the source of the drugs.
Actress Hayden Panettiere, 36, died on Aug. 16 in a Greenville, South Carolina apartment complex from the toxic effects of fentanyl and multiple other substances, according to a release from the Greenville County Coroner's Office. The manner of death was classified as an accident and no traumatic injuries were reported.
The coroner's report listed fentanyl, its precursor 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine as contributing to the fatal overdose. At the scene, investigators recovered a bottle of Adderall, blue pressed pills, a cut straw that tested positive for fentanyl, and additional prescription bottles on a kitchen table. Glass vials, prefilled and empty syringes were found in a lunchbox inside the refrigerator, and an unidentified white powder in a clear plastic bag was located in a sunglasses case within the actress's suitcase.
Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend, and his brother Zach were present when emergency services were called after Panettiere was found unresponsive on a sofa bed. Hickerson said he administered multiple doses of Narcan, a nasal opioid antagonist, and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. He told investigators the couple had arrived in South Carolina the night before and that Panettiere had woken up, applied makeup and eaten cereal before falling asleep again.
Following the death, Hickerson was briefly detained after an alleged altercation at a local restaurant, and his brother Zach was arrested for disorderly conduct; both were released without further charges. Law enforcement agencies, including the DEA, are continuing to investigate the origin of the fentanyl-laced pills and other substances found at the scene, noting that such cases are complex and may take time to resolve.