Autopsy shows Hayden Panettiere died from a drug overdose

22 September 2026, 15: 30 BST. Updated 3 hours ago.

Key points

• Panettiere died last month at the age of 36 after she was discovered unresponsive at a South Carolina residence.
• The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was reportedly joining the local police department's investigation into the child star's death.
• The star of US TV demonstrates Heroes and Nashville had spoken openly concerning her struggles with substance abuse.
• The coroner's office remarked Panettiere's death was an accident and that no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to her death.
• Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans over the past five years alone.

Child star Hayden Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and a number of other drugs in her system, according to an autopsy completed by the Greenville County Coroner's Office in South Carolina.

For context, the coroner's office remarked Panettiere's death was an accident and that no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to her death.

Notably, the star of US TV demonstrates Heroes and Nashville had spoken openly concerning her struggles with substance abuse.

In practice, the coroner's office additionally identified methocarbamol – a prescription muscle relaxant – and quetiapine – an antipsychotic medication that is applied to treat certain mental health conditions.

Drugs at their fingertips, intense pressure: Why child stars fall into addiction.

For context, the coroner's office remarked emergency responders had "initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful".

Notably, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was reportedly joining the local police department's investigation into the child star's death.

Panettiere's ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson – who has admitted to abusing her – and his brother Zack were with Panettiere when emergency services came, according to a police report from the day she died.

Just months before her death, Panettiere published a memoir where she discussed at length her problems with addiction and postpartum depression.

Panettiere has remarked she was introduced to drugs around the age of 16 during a red carpet appearance for Heroes when a member of her professional team provided her something called a "happy pill" for energy.

"I had no idea that this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction, " she informed Residents Magazine. "As I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without."

Panettiere's brother, Jansen, died aged 28 from a heart condition. Panettiere made public in her book that her brother additionally struggled with substance abuse and applied heroin and cocaine leading up to his death.

For now, autopsy shows Hayden Panettiere died from a drug overdose remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.