Police Confirm Hayden Panettiere's Death Was Accidental Overdose

South Carolina police have officially classified the death of actress Hayden Panettiere, 36, as an accidental overdose, according to a statement from the Greenville Police Department. The ruling follows a coroner’s determination that a toxic mix of fentanyl and other drugs caused her death on August 16.

The police statement said the investigation is now closed. Panettiere was found unresponsive in an Airbnb in Greenville, where she had been staying with her boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson. Officers noted she was face down, unresponsive and discolored when they arrived.

"Based on the Medical Examiner’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental," the department said.

The coroner’s report indicated Panettiere had a history of substance use, and a family member—identified only as a Hickerson brother—stated she had previously required Narcan, an emergency opioid antagonist. The brother also said he was unaware she had used drugs on the day she died.

Brian Hickerson recounted that he and Panettiere ate cereal together on the morning of the incident and later heard his brother knock on the door. The trio had planned to go out for lunch later that day.

Panettiere, known for roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," had publicly discussed mental-health challenges and substance-abuse struggles in recent years, including in her memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning." She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, who lives in Ukraine with her father, former boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko has sought legal guardianship of Kaya’s estate.

A memorial service was held in Malibu on September 19, attended by friends and former co-stars.