New development in Hayden Panettiere‘s death reveals that her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, along with his brother, were at the scene when she was pronounced dead.
The revelation has raised eyebrows due to her fraught relationship with Hickerson, who abused her during their relationship.
Hayden Panettiere notably wrote about her abuse at the hands of her boyfriend in her memoir, with Hickerson very recently encouraging people to read the chapter on him and his past actions toward her.
A newly released incident report has revealed that Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were both present at the scene during the star’s final moments.
According to TMZ, the brothers discovered the actress unresponsive inside the South Carolina residence and immediately alerted emergency services.
The report details that Zach was deeply “emotional” as first responders administered CPR to Panettiere, who appeared “unresponsive.”
However, her boyfriend Hickerson was not as emotional about her “overdose” as his brother and only became visibly distraught once she was officially pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
Hickerson also showed the police a bag of medications she was on at the time of her passing.
Reports of his strange behavior during her final moments have since circulated online, sparking mixed reactions from netizens.
The Actress And Her Boyfriend Reportedly Intentionally Kept Their Reunion A Secret As It Was ‘Bad For Business’
5Panettiere and Hickerson’s reunion before her death has come as a shock to many due to years of abuse experienced by the actress during their relationship.
She even wrote about it in detail in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” with Hickerson later urging people to read the chapter in the book about his abuse.
According to a TMZ source, the couple’s secret reunion was due to fears that her association with her abusive ex could ruin her reputation.
The pair were said to be in close communication during her promotion of the memoir; however, they were advised by Panettiere’s team to keep their rekindled romance out of the public eye as it was “bad for business.”
Hayden Panettiere Became A Close Member Of Brian Hickerson’s Family
5Due to her strained relationship with her own family, Panettiere is said to have grown very close to Hickerson’s family.
A separate source told the news outlet that the pair had been dating constantly for years, and that reports of their breakup were false and spread intentionally to protect Panettiere’s career.
This move reportedly had people in the couple’s inner circle laughing at media headlines about their separation, as only they knew Panettiere and Hickerson were still an item despite the latter’s alleged abuse.
According to an insider, the pair were seen multiple times this past year throughout Los Angeles and South Carolina, primarily at shared social gatherings.
What The Late Actress Said About Her Boyfriend’s Abuse In Her Memoir
5In her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” Panettiere offered a raw account of the severe domestic abuse she endured during her turbulent relationship with Hickerson.
The actress detailed multiple harrowing instances of physical violence, including episodes where Hickerson struck her face and slammed her head against a wall, causing injuries so severe that she remained isolated at home for weeks to conceal the physical trauma.
In a 2020 Instagram post, she spoke out about his abuse, writing at the time: “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve.”
By July 2022, the couple was believed to have broken up for good after getting into a brawl with other people at a bar earlier that same year.
However, recent revelations show that that was not the case, and they may have maintained close contact ever since.
Brian Hickerson Encouraged People To Read The Chapter Detailing His Abuse Of Hayden Panettiere
5Hickerson’s history of violence against Panettiere led to multiple law enforcement interventions, culminating in a 45-day prison sentence for domestic assault in 2021.
Following the publication of her memoir, Hickerson notably did not dispute her accounts; instead, he publicly acknowledged his past actions during a series of media appearances, candidly admitting to his abusive behavior and even urging the public to read the specific chapter detailing his actions.
“Man, I mean, I think it speaks for itself,” he said during a chat with TMZ this year. “I got arrested for, you know, abusing her, and I wouldn’t blame her friends for being p-ssed off at me.”
Then, in an interview with ABC4, he helped promote the actress’s memoir, saying, “Hayden’s book’s incredible.”
“I think it’s great,” he continued. “I think everyone should read it. I mean, the domestic violence stuff my chapter, everybody should read it.”
“You got to be vulnerable and, you know, I did it. I did it,” Hickerson added, taking full responsibility for his abusive actions against Panettiere.