TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, was found in cardiac arrest at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, August 16, according to local authorities. She was 36.
The New York Times revealed that emergency responders were called to the Judson Mill Lofts, west of downtown Greenville, shortly before 2 p.m. after an acquaintance called 911, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said in a statement Monday.
Responders found Panettiere in cardiac arrest and performed advanced cardiac life support measures. She was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m., according to the coroner’s office.
The Greenville Police Department said its preliminary investigation found no evidence of “foul play or suspicious circumstances.”
A person with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said the cardiac arrest was caused by an apparent drug overdose. However, authorities have not officially determined the cause of Panettiere’s death.
An autopsy performed Monday found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said. The official cause and manner of death remain pending.
The coroner's office said it could take up to three months for the full autopsy results to be completed.
According to the person with knowledge of the situation, Panettiere was with Brian Hickerson, her former boyfriend, at the time of her death. It was not immediately clear whether Hickerson was the person who called 911.
Attempts to reach Hickerson for comment were unsuccessful. A lawyer listed as representing him in a recent court filing also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Panettiere wrote about her relationship with Hickerson in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, published earlier this year. According to the memoir, the two met in Los Angeles in 2018 and dated on and off for several years.
Court records show that Hickerson pleaded no contest in 2021 to two felony counts of injuring Panettiere.
At least three police cars were at the Judson Mill Lofts on Monday as a news media helicopter hovered over the apartment complex.
Nick Simmons, the property's manager, said in a statement that the complex was cooperating fully with authorities but declined to provide further details, citing respect for Panettiere, her family and residents' privacy.
Hayden Panettiere began her acting career as a child and became widely known for playing Claire Bennet on Heroes and Juliette Barnes on Nashville. She also appeared in films including Remember the Titans, Scream 4 and Bring It On: All or Nothing.
Her representative confirmed her death to ABC News, saying the actress had been “an incredible light and a force of nature” who brought joy to those around her and to audiences worldwide.
Read: Hayden Panettiere Net Worth: How the 'Heroes' Star Built Her $6 Million Fortune
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