Hayden Panettiere’s death remains under investigation as new details emerge about her final hours, including who was with her at the South Carolina apartment and boyfriend Brian Hickerson’s first statement since her death.
Boyfriend Brian Hickerson breaks his silence
Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend, 37, is speaking out for the first time since her death. Brian Hickerson’s attorney, Sloan Ellis, released a statement on his behalf to TMZ on Thursday, August 20, four days after the “Nashville” alum died at the age of 36.
“Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Ellis said. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.”
“Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time,” the statement concluded.
Who was with her at the time of death
On August 16, Greenville, South Carolina police responded to an unresponsive female at an apartment complex where Panettiere was staying with Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson. The two men were the 911 callers, according to a police report obtained by USA Today.
A Greenville police officer who responded to the residence Sunday afternoon was met by the brothers and then observed paramedics performing CPR on the unresponsive woman, the report states. “The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive,” the officer noted. After lifesaving measures failed, emergency workers declared Panettiere dead at 2:31pm. An autopsy found no signs of trauma, and police said officers saw no signs of foul play.
The 911 call, released by Reuters, TMZ and other outlets, revealed the former child star, who is best known for roles in “Nashville,” “Heroes,” “Ice Princess” and “Bring It On” was in cardiac arrest after a possible overdose.
The heavily redacted police report said the responding officer first spoke with Zach Hickerson, who identified Panettiere as “his brother’s girlfriend.” The officer wrote, “I observed Zach to be very emotional while EMS were working on Hayden. Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.”
After Panettiere was declared dead, the officer escorted the brothers out of the apartment. The officer then spoke with Brian “more in depth,” but the details of that conversation were redacted from the report.
The report also said Brian showed police a “bag of medication” that Panettiere was allegedly taking at the time. The list of medications was also redacted.
Also Read: Hayden Panettiere death: Any signs of foul play found? 5 things to know after preliminary report
Panettiere and Hickerson’s complicated relationship
Panettiere and Hickerson dated on and off from 2018. Their relationship was troubled, with years of alleged physical abuse and several domestic violence arrests.
In 2020, Hickerson faced several felony abuse charges and later pleaded no contest to two counts of injuring a spouse or partner. In 2021, he was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of probation and 52 domestic violence classes. He was also ordered to attend anger management and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions.
He completed those requirements and recently asked a judge to reduce his convictions to misdemeanors. A Los Angeles judge denied the request on Thursday. The pair also sparked reconciliation rumors after they were photographed together earlier this year, according to USA Today.
Ex-fiance speaks out
Earlier, Panettiere’s ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko also spoke out about the actress’s sudden death. The Ukrainian boxer, who is also the father of her only child, shared a heartfelt statement on Instagram alongside a photo of himself, Panettiere and their daughter Kaya, 11.
“Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” he wrote. “The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter.”
“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives,” he wrote.
