Hayden Panettiere’s intermittent partner, Brian Hickerson, and his sibling Zach Hickerson were present at the South Carolina apartment where the actress tragically passed away, as per a police report disclosed on Tuesday. A Greenville police officer arrived at the residence on Sunday and encountered the Hickerson brothers, witnessing paramedics administering CPR to an unresponsive woman. Despite efforts to revive her, Panettiere was declared deceased at 2:31 p.m., with no apparent cause of death identified yet, prompting an ongoing investigation.
The 36-year-old actress had a tumultuous relationship with Brian Hickerson, who faced accusations of physically abusing her. In 2020, he faced charges of multiple felony abuse counts, ultimately pleading no contest to two charges of injuring a spouse or partner, resulting in a brief jail term. Subsequently, he received four years of probation along with mandatory anger management and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions. His recent plea to downgrade his conviction to misdemeanors was denied by a Los Angeles judge.
The police report detailed that Zach Hickerson informed the responding officer that the unresponsive woman was his brother’s girlfriend. The officer noted Zach’s emotional state during the resuscitation efforts, with Brian showing emotion only after her official declaration of death. The officer escorted the brothers out of the apartment and had a more detailed conversation with Brian, the specifics of which were redacted in the report. Additionally, a redacted list of medications Panettiere was taking was also mentioned.
Panettiere’s ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, expressed his grief over her sudden demise, referring to her as an integral part of his life and the mother of their daughter, Kaya. The pair welcomed Kaya in December 2014, with Panettiere later granting full custody to Klitschko due to her struggles with addiction and postpartum depression. Klitschko emphasized Panettiere’s accomplishments in the face of adversity and requested privacy for their family during the challenging period.
The late actress, who was set to turn 37 shortly, had been candid about her personal challenges, delving into her struggles with early fame, addiction, and postpartum depression in her recently released memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.” She clarified misconceptions about her custody arrangement for Kaya in a podcast interview, highlighting the importance of her relationship with her daughter.
Tributes for Panettiere flooded in from colleagues and friends, with co-stars like Connie Britton and Masi Oka expressing their deep sorrow over her passing. Industry figures, including “Heroes” creator Tim Kring, lauded Panettiere’s exceptional talent and spirit. Before gaining fame in “Heroes” and “Nashville,” Panettiere began her acting career as a child star, appearing in films such as “Remember the Titans” in 2000 alongside Denzel Washington.