911 audio reveals brother's attempts to revive Hayden Panettiere before she was pronounced dead
A 911 call obtained by CBS News shows Zach Hickerson trying CPR on actress Hayden Panettiere after she was found unresponsive in a South Carolina Airbnb; she was later declared dead at the scene.
A 911 dispatch audio released Wednesday shows Zach Hickerson calling emergency services after finding actress Hayden Panettiere unresponsive in an Airbnb in South Carolina on Aug. 16. The call captures Hickerson’s panic, saying, "Oh god, oh my god," before the dispatcher asks whether Panettiere is breathing. When Hickerson replies that she is not, the dispatcher instructs him to locate a defibrillator and then guides him through CPR, beginning with ventilation. Hickerson performed the instructed measures until first responders arrived.
Panettiere, 36, was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m. local time. A police report obtained by Page Six indicated that a "bag of medication" found with her contained 4-ANPP, fentanyl, methocarbamol, alprazolam and quetiapine. The coroner ruled the death an accident, noting no signs of trauma.
The actress’s father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement, requesting privacy for the family. Earlier reports noted Panettiere had spoken publicly about struggles with opioid and alcohol addiction, postpartum depression, and a prior on-and-off relationship with Brian Hickerson that began in 2018. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office records show she had previously entered rehab for an overdose.