New details emerge on Hayden Panettiere’s death

Hayden Panettiere took just one pill on the day she died, August 16, shortly before her 37th birthday, according to multiple law enforcement sources cited by TMZ. The pill is believed to have been contaminated with fentanyl, making the dose fatal.

However, the official cause of death has still not been made public. Authorities have warned that toxicology results could take up to 12 weeks.

Investigators are meanwhile reported to be focusing increasingly on a suspected drug supplier. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is said to be investigating the case in Los Angeles and South Carolina.

Panettiere’s former partner, Brian Hickerson, with whom she had a troubled relationship, was with her during the trip and at the South Carolina apartment where she was found dead. According to reports, he has already met with DEA officials.

It is not known what Hickerson told authorities, but he had earlier told police that Panettiere had a “bag of medications” with her.

Greenville police documents mention nine different types of medication, but their names have been redacted.

Panettiere had spoken openly about her battle with addiction. In her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning”, she recounted that her problems with alcohol and opioids had begun at a very young age.

The actress revealed she was only 15 when someone on her team gave her what she called “happy pills” ahead of a red-carpet appearance.

“They were supposed to make me more energetic during interviews,” she told People in 2022, adding that at the time she did not understand what consequences it could bring.

Her addiction worsened later, as she became famous as an actress from her teenage years.

Panettiere had also spoken about drinking during the period she suffered postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014. The girl is from her relationship with former Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

In her memoir, the actress also recounted serious liver health problems, saying doctors had warned her the condition could become fatal if she did not stop drinking.

The investigation continues as authorities await final toxicology results to officially determine the cause of death.

“Hayden was an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya,” he said.

Klitschko also praised her career, saying she built an extraordinary career thanks to her talent, while also facing the harder side of the entertainment industry.

“Nothing will erase the moments we shared or the place she had in our lives,” he wrote.

Addressing their daughter, Kaya, he added: “I will always speak about her mother with respect and I will make sure she remembers the person she was.”

Klitschko expressed condolences to Panettiere’s parents, friends and fans, also asking for respect for the family’s privacy in this difficult time.

Hayden Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko began their relationship in 2009 and got engaged in 2013. They became parents to Kaya in December 2014, and officially split in 2018.

During that period, Panettiere gave up custody of her daughter, who went to live with Klitschko. The actress later spoke openly about the difficulties she had experienced with postpartum depression and addiction.

According to authorities, Panettiere was found unconscious in an apartment in Greenville County, South Carolina, on August 16. She was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.

Authorities have stated there were no signs of violence or trauma, while the official cause of death has still not been announced.