Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the South Carolina apartment where the actress passed away, according to a police report released on Tuesday. A Greenville police officer arrived at the residence on Sunday afternoon and found paramedics administering CPR to an unresponsive woman, as stated in the report.
The officer noted that there were no apparent physical reasons for the woman’s unresponsiveness. Despite efforts to save her, Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m. Her cause of death is still under investigation, with no signs of trauma found during the autopsy, and authorities ruling out foul play. The actress was 36 years old.
Panettiere and Hickerson had a tumultuous relationship, with allegations of physical abuse against him. Hickerson faced charges of felony abuse in 2020, to which he pleaded no contest, resulting in a brief jail term followed by four years of probation, anger management, and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions. His recent request to downgrade the conviction to misdemeanors was denied by a Los Angeles judge.
The police report, heavily redacted, revealed that Zach Hickerson identified the unresponsive woman as his brother’s girlfriend. Brian Hickerson displayed emotions only after Panettiere was declared deceased. The details of the officer’s conversation with Brian were redacted from the report, along with a list of medications the actress was taking.
Panettiere’s ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, expressed his shock and grief over her sudden death. Klitschko, who is the father of their daughter, Kaya, described Panettiere as an important part of his life and acknowledged her struggles with addiction and postpartum depression. He emphasized the need for privacy during the difficult time.
The actress, who would have turned 37 soon, candidly shared her personal struggles in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” released in May. Panettiere addressed issues of early fame, addiction, and postpartum depression in the book. She also clarified misconceptions about the custody arrangement for her daughter, emphasizing her ongoing connection with her child.
Tributes continue to pour in for Panettiere from colleagues and friends, with co-stars remembering her as a talented and vibrant individual. The entertainment industry mourns the loss of the actress known for her roles in “Heroes” and “Nashville,” who began her career as a child actor starring in films like “Remember the Titans.”
