Hayden Panettiere‘s boyfriend reportedly showed police a “bag of medication” that the actress had been taking when officers responded to the South Carolina apartment where she died. The newly revealed detail comes from a Greenville City Police Department report documenting the response to Panettiere’s death on Sunday.
Although the medication list included in the report was redacted, it reportedly appeared to identify nine different drugs. Authorities have not said whether any of those medications contributed to the 36-year-old actress’ death. There is also currently no evidence indicating that Panettiere consumed illicit substances before she was found unresponsive.
Emergency personnel responded to the Greenville apartment at approximately 1:50 p.m. Sunday. When police arrived, they reportedly encountered “multiple EMS and firemen performing CPR” on Panettiere, who appeared to be “unresponsive.”
According to The New York Post, the report stated that the “Nashville” actress “did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive.” Brian Hickerson then presented officers with a “bag of medication” that Panettiere was reportedly taking at the time. While the specific medications were concealed in the publicly available police report, the redacted list appeared to contain nine separate drugs.
The existence of the bag provides investigators with another avenue to examine as they work to determine what happened. However, it does not establish that any medication caused or contributed to her death. Panettiere was ultimately pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m., approximately 40 minutes after emergency crews were initially dispatched to the apartment.
Toxicology Results Could Take Up To 12 Weeks
5An autopsy was performed Monday, one day after Panettiere suffered cardiac arrest following a suspected overdose. Authorities are now awaiting toxicology testing to determine whether any drugs or alcohol were present in her system when she died.
A representative for the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said those results generally take between eight and 12 weeks to complete, although they may arrive sooner or later. The extended timeline reflects the more detailed laboratory analysis needed to identify substances, determine their concentrations and assess whether they played any role in a person’s death.
Until that process is complete, investigators may not be able to establish Panettiere’s official cause and manner of death. Her body will be released once her family selects a funeral home, according to the coroner’s office.
Autopsy Found No Signs Of Contributing Trauma
5The initial autopsy did not reveal any physical injuries that could immediately explain the actress’ death. “No signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” coroners said, while officials emphasized that their work was not yet complete. “This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time.”
Panettiere was reportedly discovered by an unidentified “acquaintance,” though authorities have not publicly confirmed that individual’s identity. The absence of visible trauma narrows part of the investigation, but it does not provide an answer about what caused the medical emergency inside the apartment. That determination is expected to depend heavily on the forthcoming toxicology report, Panettiere’s medical history and the evidence collected at the scene.
Narcan Was Reportedly Found On A Mattress
5Narcan was also reportedly discovered in the apartment where Panettiere died. Sources claimed that the device used to dispense the potentially life-saving medication was found on a mattress.
Narcan can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, but it remains unclear whether anyone administered the medication before or after emergency responders arrived.
Reported 911 audio referenced a suspected overdose and indicated that Panettiere had suffered cardiac arrest. Those details have fueled questions about the circumstances surrounding her death, but authorities have not confirmed that she overdosed.
The reported presence of Narcan and Panettiere’s medication cannot independently establish what happened. Investigators will need to compare the physical evidence with the toxicology findings before reaching a conclusion.
The Actress Had Publicly Discussed Addiction And Treatment
5Panettiere had previously spoken openly about her struggles with alcohol, drugs and postpartum depression. She entered rehabilitation in 2015 while seeking treatment for postpartum depression after welcoming her daughter, Kaya, with former boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
In 2020, Panettiere again sought professional help for alcohol and drug abuse, spending approximately eight months in treatment.