Hayden Panettiere died from accidental fentanyl overdose, coroner confirms

The Greenville County Coroner's Office has ruled Hayden Panettiere's death an accidental overdose caused by the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol, and quetiapine. The 36-year-old actor was found unresponsive on August 16 at an Airbnb apartment in Greenville, South Carolina.

Her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were present at the residence when she was pronounced dead. One of the men told investigators he saw Panettiere applying makeup at 10:30 a.m. that day, later finding her face down on a sofa bed with her legs crossed and unresponsive.

“The investigation remains ongoing and the circumstances surrounding the case are complex.”

Authorities discovered blue pressed pills and a straw testing positive for fentanyl on a table, along with a white powdery substance in a sunglasses case inside her suitcase. The coroner noted 4-ANPP indicates the fentanyl was illicitly manufactured rather than pharmaceutical.

Panettiere had completed a rehab stint just weeks before her death. Her father told investigators she planned to celebrate her upcoming birthday in Greenville before traveling to Ukraine to visit her daughter. Her representative, Kasey Kitchen, stated the investigation remains ongoing and the circumstances are complex.