The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has joined the investigation into the death of 36-year-old actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in the series "Heroes" and "Nashville." Federal agents are working alongside South Carolina police, according to infohub.kz.
The actress was found unconscious on August 16 in a rented apartment in Greenville, South Carolina. Paramedics on the scene pronounced her dead from cardiac arrest. An autopsy found no signs of foul play or physical trauma, but dispatch recordings suggest a possible overdose.
At the scene, law enforcement discovered Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, as well as a bag of prescription medications the actress had been taking. Her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was present in the apartment at the time of the incident.
The official cause of death will be determined after toxicology tests, which could take several weeks. The DEA's involvement will help verify the legality of the acquisition and distribution of the drugs Panettiere may have taken before her death.
The Greenville County coroner has not yet released the exact cause of death, and further tests are needed. Panettiere was also known as the former fiancée of boxer Wladimir Klitschko.