Hayden Panettiere's estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, has publicly questioned the account of the actress's final hours, claiming the timeline given by her daughter's on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, is 'full of holes'. The 36-year-old actress died on August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, with first responders reporting a possible overdose after finding her in cardiac arrest.
Investigation underway after actress's death
The Greenville County Coroner's Office confirmed that resuscitation efforts on Panettiere were 'unsuccessful', with epinephrine reportedly used at the scene. An autopsy was completed on August 21, and a statement from the coroner to BBC News said: 'At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death. The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies.'
TMZ reported that opioid overdose medication Narcan was present in the apartment, with the device used to administer it found on a mattress. Hickerson and his brother Zach are understood to have been in the building at the time, with Hickerson asleep in the bedroom and Zach discovering the actress before calling 911.
Mother disputes timeline
Vogel, 70, told the Daily Mail that Hickerson told police Panettiere had been doing her make-up at around 10.30am when he went out, later returning for a nap without mentioning seeing or speaking to her again. She questioned: 'I don't know how you can take a nap near someone who's dying and not realise something's wrong. How do you do that? When the EMTs came it was for a cardiac arrest. People in cardiac arrest aren't just lying still. They make noise.'
The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has joined the investigation, but Hickerson has not been accused of any crime. His lawyer, Sloan Ellis, said on Thursday: 'Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed. 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.'
Family history and relationship concerns
Vogel, who was no-contact with Panettiere at the time of her death, had been portrayed in the actress's May 2026 memoir 'This is Me: A Reckoning' as more of a manager than a mother. Vogel acknowledged being demanding as a parent and acting coach but denied abuse, telling the Daily Mail: 'I was strong, definitely, but I was not abusive by any stretch of the imagination.' She said she 'never expected her to be a professional actress' and had planned to put earnings into a college fund.
Vogel described Panettiere's relationship with Hickerson as 'codependent' and said their bond was 'so much more powerful than people understand'. Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend in 2021, receiving 45 days in jail, four years of probation, 52 domestic violence classes, $500 in restitution, and a five-year protective order. The couple first linked in 2018, following Panettiere's split from ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shares daughter Kaya.
Family seeks answers as investigation continues
Panettiere's representative told Metro on Sunday: 'The investigation is ongoing and we're hopeful justice will soon be served.' Zach Hickerson told TMZ that there were 'a lot of assumptions, speculations and accusations currently swirling', adding: 'The truth will come out as the authorities complete and release additional details from the investigation. And that is important because the people who loved and adored Hayden deserve the truth.' He also urged that loved ones be allowed to mourn 'without additional noise, chaos, and misinformation being created and propagated.'
