Hayden Panettiere 911 Dispatch Audio Reveals Star Suffered Apparent 'Overdose' Before 'Advanced Life Support' Failed to Save Her

Hayden Panettiere was reported dead on Sunday afternoon.
Aug. 17 2026, Updated 9:58 a.m. ET
Hayden Panettiere, 36, has reportedly died after an apparent "overdose."
Newly obtained 911 dispatch audio included conversations from first responders who arrived at her apartment on Sunday afternoon, RadarOnline.com has learned.
911 Dispatch Details

Panettiere was found dead in her apartment in South Carolina.
Responders attempted to treat an "unidentified female," according to the audio obtained by Page Six. They described performing "cardiac arrest" on Panettiere.
While they "attempted to resuscitate Panettiere," paramedics were unsuccessful.
They deployed "advanced cardiac life support" and chest compressions. However, she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
While authorities are still finalizing the details, there appears to be no direct signs of foul play or suspicious activity.
Her official cause of death was not immediately released. The Greenville County coroner will perform an autopsy Monday.
Star's Father Confirms 'Tragic Passing'

Skip Panettiere described his 'profound sadness.'
Panettiere's father confirmed her "tragic passing," describing "profound sadness" in a statement.
Skip Panettiere added in a statement to ABC News, “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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Panettiere Reportedly Traveled With Brian Hickerson Ahead of Death

Brian Hickerson and Panettiere's relationship was marred with domestic violence allegations.
According to TMZ, a friend reportedly made the call, but it's unclear whether it was her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson. She was traveling with Hickerson over the weekend.
The pair reportedly shared a complicated relationship. Despite Hickerson's prior description allegations of abusive behavior toward the young actress, there was no indication he was involved in her passing. Their relationship included multiple reports to police of domestic violence.
“It was important for me to word that experience properly,” she wrote in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, about her relationship with Hickerson.
She added, “It’s a very embarrassing subject. I’ve always seen myself as such a resilient and strong woman. The idea that I could allow something like this to happen to me blew my mind. It blew the minds of the people that knew me best.”
Hickerson previously admitted he was unhappy with Panettiere's inclusion of an incident in her book, admitting he had asked her not to publish the passage.
He explained to TMZ, “There’s a story where I was drunk, right? Hayden was standing across the room and I had a phone in my hand and I said, ‘Hayden I’ll give you 10 seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you.'
"Who wants to read something about themselves, right? But you gotta be vulnerable and I did it. I did it, so.”
At the time of the disclosure, the pair reportedly weren't together, but Hickerson admitted he thought about getting back together with her.
He previously pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring Panettiere, which dropped six additional charges against him. Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in prison.

Panettiere's Prior Opioid Abuse

Panettiere was open about her struggles with alcohol abuse.
Panettiere previously described her harrowing struggle with alcohol and opioid abuse.
"This hasn't been easy and there were a lot of ups and downs," she told People in July 2022. "But I don't regret even the ugliest things that have happened to me. I feel incredibly accomplished. And I feel like I have a second chance."
She admitted opioids acted as her "happy pills" before red carpets and interviews, aiding her in keeping a "peppy" persona.
"My saving grace is that I couldn't be messy while on set and working," she said. "But things kept getting out of control [off set]. And as I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without."



