Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled an accident after a South Carolina coroner determined that the actor died from the toxic effects of fentanyl and several other substances.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office released its findings Tuesday, Sept. 22, a little more than one month after Panettiere was found unresponsive at a Greenville apartment where she had been temporarily staying.
According to the coroner’s report, Panettiere died from the “toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine.” Alprazolam is commonly sold under the brand name Xanax, methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant, and quetiapine is an antipsychotic medication used to treat several mental health conditions. 4-ANPP is a chemical associated with fentanyl.
What Authorities Said About Panettiere’s Death
First responders arrived at the Greenville residence at approximately 1:51 p.m. on Aug. 16 after receiving a 911 call reporting a cardiac arrest. Paramedics tried to revive Panettiere, but she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m., just five days before her 37th birthday.
An autopsy performed the following day found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death. Police also said their preliminary investigation found no evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Now that the cause and manner of death have been established, the coroner’s office has closed its portion of the case. A representative for Panettiere’s family told The Associated Press that the broader investigation remains ongoing and described the case as complex.
Friends and family gathered to remember Panettiere during a private memorial service in Malibu, California, on Sept. 19. Her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, previously called his daughter “an incredible light and a force of nature” who brought joy to those who knew her and the millions who watched her onscreen.
Remembering Hayden Panettiere
Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing on the soap operas One Life to Live and Guiding Light before voicing Dot in A Bug’s Life. She later won over movie audiences as Sheryl Yoast in Remember the Titans.
Her breakout television role arrived in 2006 when she began playing Claire Bennet, the cheerleader with regenerative powers at the center of NBC’s Heroes. She went on to earn two Golden Globe nominations for her performance as country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville.
Panettiere also starred in Bring It On: All or Nothing, Ice Princess, I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4 and Scream VI. She is survived by her daughter, Kaya.
Panettiere Came Out as Bisexual in 2026
In May, Panettiere shared another deeply personal part of her story when she came out as bisexual in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
Speaking with Us Weekly, she reflected on growing up in the spotlight and feeling pressured to maintain a carefully controlled image instead of freely exploring who she was. She also worried that people would dismiss her sexuality as a trend if she spoke about it publicly.
“It’s sad I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?” she said.
Panettiere confirmed that she had privately dated women and said she had felt attracted to women since childhood. However, years of intense public attention left her afraid that pursuing a serious relationship with a woman could force her to hide someone she loved.
With the memoir’s release, she said she finally felt ready to claim that part of herself openly. “I’m comfortable to confidently say that yes, I am bisexual,” Panettiere said. “I said it! This is the first time I got to say it out loud.”
Throughout her life, Panettiere also spoke candidly about addiction, postpartum depression, and the pressures she experienced growing up in the entertainment industry. In This Is Me: A Reckoning, she explored those experiences, along with fame, motherhood, and healing.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit FindTreatment.gov.
