Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mother Lesley Vogel has broken her silence on her daughter’s passing; and while doing so, she criticized the actress’ on-again/off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson.
Police Say Brother Of Hayden Panettiere’s Boyfriend Brian Hickerson Found Her ‘Unresponsive’ In Chair While Brian Was Asleep In Bedroom
As we previously shared, on Sunday (August 16), Alan “Skip” Panettiere, father of the 36-year-old award-winning actress, announced her unexpected death.
Reports then surfaced claiming law enforcement sources opened an investigation after initially responding to an incident involving Hayden. On Monday (August 17), TMZ reported that a friend called 911 upon discovering Hayden “unresponsive” after a possible “cardiac arrest” inside a Greenville, South Carolina apartment. During initial reporting, it was unclear if the friend was Brian.
However, PEOPLE reported that a police report claimed Brian, 37, and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were with Hayden at the scene. Brian even showed Greenville Police a “bag of medication” the late actress was taking.
TMZ reported that Brian and Hayden were inside an Airbnb when Zach entered the apartment. He found Hayden in a chair in the living room. Brian was sleeping in a separate bedroom. Police said the circumstances surrounding Brian’s presence in the home is unclear.
First Responders Find Used Narcan Dispenser At Scene Of Hayden Panettiere’s Death
As initially reported, first responders suspected a drug overdose death as they found a used Narcan dispenser on a mattress. The medication is administered to reverse the effects of an opioid OD.
According to the police report, Zach was “very emotional,” while Brian was not visibly emotional until Hayden was declared dead. Police spoke more “in depth” with Brian and stated that Zach referred to Hayden as his brother’s “girlfriend.”
EMS (Emergency Medical Service) workers used “advanced cardiac life support,” including CPR with chest compressions, breathing tubes, and heart rhythm monitoring. Workers administered medication, like Epinephrine, aka adrenaline. It is commonly used to resuscitate patients in cardiac arrest.
However, EMS workers sadly couldn’t revive Hayden and pronounced her dead at 2:32 p.m. On Monday afternoon (August 17), the Greenville County Coroner’s Office completed an autopsy and found no signs of foul play nor trauma. Investigations continue.
Hayden Panettiere’s Estranged Mother Lesley Vogel Breaks Silence On Daughter’s Death And Slams Her On/Off-Again Boyfriend Brian Hickerson
On Tuesday (August 18), Hayden’s estranged mother spoke with NBC News in a phone interview. Speaking on Hayden’s death, Vogel said:
“I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path. I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
While speaking on Hayden and her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere — who unexpectedly died at age 28 in 2023 — Vogel said, “I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace.”
Vogel also criticized Brian, stating:
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson. There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him.”
Hayden Panettiere And Brian Hickerson’s Rocky Relationship
Hayden and Brian were first linked in 2018. They were most recently seen together in March at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). However, they were reportedly told by her team to keep their relationship low-key as their track record over the years proved damaging to her career.
During their years-long relationship, Brian was arrested several times on charges including abuse and domestic violence in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, he eventually served jail time. He pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a partner, related to the 2020 arrest.
He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of probation, 52 domestic violence classes, $500 in restitution, and a 5-year protective order. Brian spent 13 days in jail. The other charges were dropped in the 2020 case and in the 2019 case, it was later dismissed.
Hayden described these periods as “a very dark and complicated time” in her life. This especially since she was privately struggling with addiction to alcohol and opioids.
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