Police in Greenville, South Carolina have ruled the death of actor Hayden Panettiere accidental and closed their investigation, following a coroner's report that found she died from the combined toxic effects of fentanyl, alprazolam and other substances.
The Greenville Police Department said on Wednesday (US time) that it had concluded its investigation into the death of the Heroes and Nashville star, who was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment on August 16. "Based on the Medical Examiner's determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere's death has been ruled accidental," police said in a statement.
Panettiere, 36, died from an accidental overdose that included fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, and alprazolam (the active ingredient in Xanax), according to the Greenville County Coroner's Office. The autopsy also found methocarbamol, a muscle relaxant, and quetiapine, an antipsychotic medication, in her system, and showed no signs of trauma.
Emergency crews performed CPR for more than 40 minutes before she was pronounced dead. Blue pressed pills and a straw that later tested positive for fentanyl were found on a table at the scene, and a white powdery substance was discovered in her sunglasses case.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration had joined the local police probe, but it is unclear if that investigation has concluded.
Panettiere had been candid about her struggles with substance abuse and mental health. In her memoir This Is Me, released in May, she described lifelong scars from early fame, addiction and postpartum depression. She had been in rehab just weeks before her death, according to the coroner's report.
Following her death, other former child stars spoke about the pressures of growing up in the spotlight. Anna Paquin called it "not a coincidence that so many former, specifically pre-sexualised female, child 'stars' have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends." Christy Carlson Romano, writing in Elle magazine, compared early fame to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, saying "we have almost no language for what happens when stress, scrutiny, rejection, adult pressure and the collapse of privacy become the architecture of a childhood."
Panettiere's former partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she had a daughter, paid tribute on what would have been her 37th birthday. "Today is Hayden's birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world," he wrote on X. "Love is a superpower. Use it. Happy Birthday, Hayden. You are loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The ruling closes a formal investigation into the death of a high-profile actress whose struggles with addiction and mental health were well documented.
- It renews focus on the pressures faced by child stars and the lack of protections for young performers.
- The involvement of the DEA highlights the broader US opioid crisis, which has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.
Background
Hayden Panettiere rose to fame as a teenage star on the NBC series Heroes and later earned Golden Globe nominations for her role on Nashville. She spoke openly about her battles with alcohol and opioid addiction, postpartum depression, and the emotional toll of early fame. In 2018, her ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko gained full custody of their daughter amid Panettiere's struggles.
Key Perspectives
Greenville Police Department: Said in a statement that the death has been ruled accidental based on the medical examiner's determination and the investigation's findings, closing the local probe.
Greenville County Coroner's Office: Found that Panettiere died from the combined toxic effects of fentanyl, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine, with no signs of trauma.
Anna Paquin: Said it is not a coincidence that many former female child stars have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends.
Christy Carlson Romano: Compared the experience of early fame to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, arguing that society lacks language for the damage caused by stress, scrutiny and loss of privacy in childhood.
What to Watch
- Whether the DEA investigation concludes and whether any charges or findings are announced.
- Possible legislative or industry responses to calls for greater protections for child actors.
- Any further tributes or memorial events for Panettiere.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 3 sources: 8 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedPolice ruled Panettiere’s death accidental and closed their investigation.BBC News: “The death of US actress Hayden Panettiere has been ruled accidental, ending a local probe into her death, police in South Carolina have said.”
- SupportedThe 36-year-old died from an overdose involving fentanyl and other drugs, according to the coroner.7NEWS: “The Greenville County Coroner’s Office previously determined she died from the combined toxic effects of several substances, including fentanyl and alprazolam, an anti-anxiety medication.”
- SupportedThe coroner’s report found that fentanyl, alprazolam and other substances had combined toxic effects.7NEWS: “The Greenville County Coroner’s Office previously determined she died from the combined toxic effects of several substances, including fentanyl and alprazolam, an anti-anxiety medication.”
- SupportedThe Greenville Police Department said on Wednesday (US time) that it had concluded its investigation.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “the Greenville Police Department said on Wednesday (US time) that Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental, following results from a September coroner’s report.”
- SupportedPolice said: “Based on the Medical Examiner’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental.”BBC News: ““Based on the Medical Examiner's determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere's death has been ruled accidental,” police said in a statement.”
- SupportedPanettiere was found unresponsive in a South Carolina residence on August 16.BBC News: “Panettiere, who had spoken openly about her struggles with substance abuse, was found unresponsive in a South Carolina residence on 16 August.”
- Partly supportedThe autopsy showed no signs of trauma.BBC News: “The coroner's office had said crews treated a woman in "cardiac arrest" and her autopsy showed "no signs of trauma" contributing to her death.”
- Not in the sourcesAlprazolam is the active ingredient in Xanax.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “A combination of fentanyl and its chemical byproduct, as well as the antianxiety medication alprazolam”
- Partly supportedThe DEA had joined the local police probe, but it is unclear whether its investigation has concluded.BBC News: “The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reportedly joined a local police probe. It is unclear if that investigation has also concluded.”
- SupportedAnna Paquin said: “not a coincidence that so many former, specifically pre-sexualised female, child 'stars' have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““It’s not a coincidence that so many former, specifically pre-sexualised female, child ‘stars’ have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends,” Anna Paquin, who more than three decades ago became one of the youngest actors to win an Oscar for her breakout performance in The Piano, wrote on Instagram.”
- SupportedChristy Carlson Romano wrote in Elle: “we have almost no language for what happens when stress, scrutiny, rejection, adult pressure and the collapse of privacy become the architecture of a childhood.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““We now have language for youth sports: protocols, helmets, parents worried about concussions. But we have almost no language for what happens when stress, scrutiny, rejection, adult pressure and the collapse of privacy become the architecture of a childhood,” she wrote.”
- Partly supportedKlitschko posted the birthday tribute on X, including: “Today is Hayden's birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world.”7NEWS: ““Today is Hayden’s birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world,” he wrote on X.”