The official cause of death of American actress Hayden Panettiere has been determined: the 36-year-old star of "Heroes" and "Nashville" died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl and several other drugs. Experts reported this, according to Variety, as reported by infohub.kz.
The Greenville County Coroner's Office in South Carolina released the results of the toxicology examination in the actress's death case. According to the official statement from medical examiners, the cause of death was the toxic effects of fentanyl, alprazolam, metocarbamol, quetiapine, and the substance 4-ANPP.
Panettiere's death has been ruled an accident. No traces of trauma or violence were found on her body. Local police representatives also confirmed that the initial examination of the scene revealed no suspicious circumstances or signs of a crime.
The actress died on August 16, 2026, in an apartment in Greenville. Paramedics who arrived at the call performed resuscitation efforts for more than 40 minutes, but were unable to save Panettiere's life, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother were present in the apartment during the incident and called emergency services.
Hayden Panettiere began her acting career as a child, appearing in commercials and television shows. She gained worldwide fame for her role as Claire Bennet in the sci-fi series "Heroes," as well as her part in the drama "Nashville." In recent years, the actress openly discussed her struggles with mental health and addiction. Law enforcement continues to investigate all details of the incident.