Autopsy results indicate that Hayden Panettiere, an American actress, died due to a drug overdose, with multiple drugs and narcotics found in her body.
On Tuesday, 22 Sep 2026 GMT+7, the Greenville County Medical Examiner's Office in South Carolina, USA, released a report stating that Hayden Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax, and several other drugs in her system.
The medical examiner's office stated that Panettiere's death was accidental, with no signs of assault or injuries causing her death.
Panettiere died on 16 Aug 2026 at age 36, after being found unconscious at a residence in South Carolina. The medical examiner confirmed that emergency personnel "initiated advanced cardiac life support for cardiac arrest; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful."
The former star of popular U.S. series such as Heroes and Nashville had previously spoken openly about her struggles with drug and substance abuse.
The autopsy also found methocarbamol, a prescription muscle relaxant, and quetiapine, an antipsychotic medication used to treat certain mental health conditions.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has caused hundreds of thousands of American deaths over the past five years.
Reports indicate that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has joined local police in investigating Panettiere's death.
According to police reports on the day of Panettiere's death, her ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who admitted to previously abusing her, and his brother Zack were with Panettiere when emergency responders arrived at the scene.
Just months before her death, Panettiere published a memoir in which she detailed her struggles with addiction and postpartum depression.
Panettiere said she began using drugs around age 16, while attending a red carpet event for the series Heroes, where her team gave her what she called a "happy pill" to boost energy.
“At that time, I had no idea it was wrong or how it would open the door to my addiction,” she told People magazine. “As I grew older, drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without.”
Previously, Panettiere's younger brother Jansen died at only 28 years old from heart disease. In her book, she revealed he struggled heavily with substance abuse, using heroin and cocaine before his death.
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Source:bbc