Hayden Panettiere’s cause of death has been revealed after the Nashville star was found unresponsive at a home in South Carolina last month.
The actor, 36, died of “toxic effects” of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office stated in a report released Tuesday. The manner of death was ruled an accident.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, and 4-ANFPP is a chemical byproduct used when fentanyl is illegally manufactured. Alprazolam, known more commonly as Xanax, is used to treat anxiety, while Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant. Quetiapine, which is known more commonly by brand name Seroquel, is an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.
Police in Greenville, South Carolina, said officers “responded to a report of an unresponsive female” Sunday, August 16, at around 1:50 p.m. ET.
Upon arrival, officers found Panettiere in cardiac arrest, the coroner’s report said. After resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m.
“At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” the report said.
Panettiere’s death was confirmed by her father, Skip.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Skip said in a statement to ABC News. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”
Born August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, Panettiere began appearing in commercials at 11 months old and went on to work as a child actor on the popular soap opera One Life to Live. She earned praise for her role opposite Denzel Washington in the hit 2000 film Remember the Titans and went on to land parts in the Disney films Tiger Cruise (2004) and Ice Princess (2005).
Panettiere became one of the most recognizable young actors on television after being cast as cheerleader Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero drama Heroes, which ran from 2006 to 2010. She later played country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville, a role that earned her two Golden Globe nominations.
She joined the Scream franchise in 2011, playing the role of Kirby Reed in Scream 4. She went on to reprise the role in 2023’s Scream VI, marking her return to acting after a four-year break.
In May this year, Panettiere spoke to The Independent on how being a child star affected her, saying: “It’s not healthy to receive so much praise as a child.”
“When I got to an age where I became somebody the paparazzi were interested in, and the media wanted all the gory details... it broke my heart that people thought negatively about me,” she said.
She became a mother in December 2014, when she and former fiancé, Ukrainian heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko, welcomed their daughter, Kaya. Panettiere later gave Klitschko full custody of Kaya in 2018 while she was struggling with addiction and postpartum depression.
She spoke about the decision again in 2022, telling Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk podcast that signing the papers was “the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
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