Actress Hayden Panettiere died last month at 36 after being found unresponsive in a South Carolina home. An autopsy by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office determined that the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and several other drugs caused her death.
The coroner’s report stated the death was accidental and that no signs of trauma were present that could have contributed to her passing. Emergency responders had initiated advanced cardiac life support, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
In addition to fentanyl and Xanax, the autopsy found methocarbamol, a prescription muscle relaxant, and quetiapine, an antipsychotic medication used to treat certain mental health conditions.
Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, had publicly spoken about her struggles with substance abuse and postpartum depression. She first encountered drugs at age 16 during a red‑carpet event for Heroes, when a member of her team offered her a “happy pill” for energy.
Police reports indicate Panettiere’s ex‑boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother Zack were with her when emergency services arrived. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is reportedly assisting the local police investigation.
Panettiere’s brother, Jansen, died at 28 from a heart condition and had also struggled with substance abuse, using heroin and cocaine before his death.
The findings highlight the ongoing crisis of prescription and opioid overdoses in the United States, with fentanyl alone responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths over the past five years.
