Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were present at the South Carolina apartment where the actress passed away over the weekend, as per a police report made public on Tuesday. A Greenville police officer, who arrived at the scene Sunday afternoon, encountered the brothers and witnessed paramedics administering CPR to an unresponsive woman, the report revealed.
The officer noted that there were no apparent physical reasons for the woman’s unresponsiveness. Despite efforts to revive her, Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m. No specific cause of death has been established, and investigations are ongoing. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, and authorities have not detected any foul play in the case. Panettiere, aged 36, had a tumultuous relationship with Brian Hickerson, who faced allegations of physically abusing the actress.
In 2020, Hickerson faced multiple felony abuse charges, to which he pleaded no contest. Subsequently, he served a brief jail term related to two counts of injuring a spouse or partner and was then placed on four years of probation, along with mandatory anger management and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions. Despite completing these terms, his request to downgrade his conviction to misdemeanors was recently denied by a Los Angeles judge.
The responding officer initially spoke with Zach Hickerson at the scene, who identified the unresponsive woman as his brother’s girlfriend. The officer observed Zach’s emotional state while emergency medical services attended to Panettiere. Brian Hickerson reportedly showed emotion only after the woman was declared deceased. Following her passing, the officer escorted the brothers out of the apartment. Details of the conversation with Brian were redacted from the police report, as was a list of medications Panettiere had been taking.
Panettiere’s former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, expressed his grief over her sudden death. Klitschko, who is also the father of their daughter, Kaya, 11, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, emphasizing Panettiere’s importance in his life and their daughter’s existence. The pair welcomed Kaya in 2014 and subsequently parted ways in 2018, with Klitschko assuming full custody due to Panettiere’s struggles with addiction and postpartum depression.
The late actress, who would have turned 37 shortly, had candidly discussed her personal challenges in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” released in May. Panettiere had openly addressed issues with early fame, addiction, and postpartum depression in the book. In an interview earlier this year, she clarified misconceptions surrounding the custody arrangement for her daughter, emphasizing her continued involvement in her child’s life.
As tributes continue to flood in for Panettiere, colleagues and industry figures have expressed their sorrow over her passing. Co-stars like Connie Britton and Masi Oka shared heartfelt messages honoring Panettiere’s spirit and talent. Tim Kring, the creator of “Heroes,” praised Panettiere’s exceptional talent and reminisced about working with her. Prior to her renowned roles in “Heroes” and “Nashville,” Panettiere began her acting career as a child artist in films like “Remember the Titans” in 2000.