Daily Mail
· collected 2026-09-23 · by Eve Buckland, Marjorie Hernandez, Eileen Reslen
Hayden Panettiere's cause of death was officially confirmed as an accidental overdose involving multiple drugs, including fentanyl and Xanax, one month after her death at age 36 in Greenville, South Carolina. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office revealed that no signs of trauma contributed to the death, ruling it a toxic effect from the combination of substances. Panettiere was found dead on August 16, with authorities previously suspecting a drug overdose.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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Hayden Panettiere's cause of death has been officially confirmed, one month after the star died aged 36.
asserted
star → get → death
Panettiere died August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, in what authorities said was suspected as a drug 'overdose.'
Her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when Panettiere was pronounced dead.
Now, a spokesman for the Greenville County Coroner’s Office has confirmed to The Daily Mail that Panettiere died from the 'toxic effects' of multiple drugs - including fentanyl - and that her death was accidental.
asserted
death → die → fentanyl
Just a few grains of powerful opioid fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin, can cause a fatal overdose.
asserted
which → cause → overdose
A spokesman said, 'An autopsy was completed by a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist.
asserted
autopsy → say → Pathologist
At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.
asserted
that → discover → death
Hayden Panettiere's cause of death has been officially confirmed, one month after the star died aged 36.
asserted
star → confirm → death
The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine.
asserted
cause → rule → fentanyl
The manner of death has been ruled accident.
asserted
manner → rule → death
This case is administratively closed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
asserted
case → close → Office
'
Methocarbamol is a prescription muscle relaxant used to treat short-term muscle pain, while Quetiapine, commonly known by the brand name Seroquel, is an antipsychotic prescription medication used to treat conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
asserted
Quetiapine → use → schizophrenia
Alprazolam, known as Xanax, is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders and 4-ANPP is a chemical used as a main building block to make illegal fentanyl.
asserted
ANPP → know → fentanyl
Last week, insiders told TMZ authorities believed Panettiere had fatally consumed a single oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl.
asserted
Panettiere → tell → fentanyl
Panettiere had a 'long time drug dealer' in Los Angeles who she obtained narcotics from illegally, with oxycodone among them, sources told the outlet.
asserted
sources → have → outlet
Authorities said that the day prior to her passing, Panettiere had taken multiple drugs she bought in Los Angeles before flying to South Carolina, where she was found dead the next day.
asserted
she → say → Carolina
Panettiere's rep said in a statement earlier this month, 'As reported yesterday by the Greenville County Coroner's Office, Hayden's death remains under investigation pending the completion of toxicology results, despite reports from some outlets stating otherwise.
'
asserted
death → say → outlets
Recent reports attributed to unnamed sources are unverified hearsay and have attributed to conflicting information that continues to circulate.'
The statement continued: 'While we are all eager to find closure and better understand the circumstances surrounding her passing, we must remain patient and allow the investigative process to unfold.'
uncertain
process → attribute → passing
Her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when Panettiere was pronounced dead - pictured 2018
Panettiere is survived by a daughter, Kaya, now 11, who shares with ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko – pictured 2011
In 2018, when her daughter Kaya was three, she signed full custody to her ex amid her battle with postpartum depression and addiction and Wladimir moved their daughter to his native Ukraine
The late Heroes star's rep concluded in saying that 'the answers we are all seeking will come.'
On the day she died, first responders arrived at a Greenville, South Carolina, condo where attempts were made to resuscitate the actress, before she had been pronounced dead.
Hickerson's lawyer Sloan Ellis said in a statement August 20 that 'Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.
'
asserted
investigation → pronounce → investigation
As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.
asserted
police → report → play
Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas, then gained wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar's 1998 film A Bug's Life.
asserted
Panettiere → begin → film
Panettiere is remembered for her role as Claire Bennet on the hit NBC series Heroes
She played Juliette Barnes on the ABC show Nashville, releasing a number of her own songs
Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.
She earned two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress on the show, while her singing produced 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
asserted
singing → remember → charts
Panettiere's film credits include 2006's Bring It On: All or Nothing, the comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
asserted
credits → include → Reed
She had an 11-year-old daughter called Kaya following a life-threatening birth, and later gave full custody of the child to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
asserted
She → have → fiancé
Panettiere's passing was announced by her father Skip Panettiere, who said in a statement: 'It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.
asserted
we → announce → Hayden
She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her - and to the millions who watched her onscreen.
asserted
who → bring → her
We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.'
asserted
family → ask → loss
Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, subsequently said that officials responded to an apartment in the area after receiving a report of an 'unresponsive female' via a possible 'drug overdose,' subsequently determined to be Panettiere.
asserted
officials → say → overdose
The Aporia
