Hayden Panettiere Suffered Apparent Overdose, Was Unresponsive Despite Advanced Life Support Efforts

GREENVILLE, S.C. — New details have emerged about the final moments of actress Hayden Panettiere's life, with dispatch audio reportedly referencing an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest" around the time she was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday.

Police officers and EMS personnel responded to reports of an "unresponsive female," later identified as 36-year-old Panettiere, at approximately 1:50 p.m. local time Sunday, according to the Greenville Police Department, which confirmed the details to People. Authorities were alerted to the medical emergency through a 911 call placed by a friend of the actress, according to TMZ, which cited law enforcement sources. The identity of the caller has not been publicly disclosed.

According to TMZ's reporting, first responders attempted to resuscitate Panettiere using advanced cardiac life support, a set of emergency medical procedures that, in addition to standard CPR, can include specialized medications, breathing tubes and continuous heart rhythm monitoring. Despite those efforts, including chest compressions administered by paramedics, Panettiere was reportedly pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.

Dispatch audio obtained by People captured officials discussing the terms "overdose" and "cardiac arrest" around the time of Panettiere's death, offering the clearest indication yet of what first responders may have encountered at the scene. Police told People that Panettiere's official cause of death will not be released until after an autopsy has been completed, and officials did not independently confirm the specific claims regarding the use of advanced cardiac life support techniques during the resuscitation attempt.

The Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Coroner's Office continue to lead the investigation into Panettiere's death. In a statement provided to People, a spokesperson for the police department reiterated that no evidence of criminal wrongdoing had been found so far. "The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances," the spokesperson said. "An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call."

Panettiere's death was first confirmed publicly Sunday night through a statement from her representative to ABC News, in which her father, Skip Panettiere, described his daughter as "an incredible light and a force of nature" to everyone who knew her and to the audiences who watched her on screen throughout her career.

Panettiere began her acting career as an infant, appearing in television commercials before she was 1 year old, and had her first major role on the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live" in 1994. She went on to build one of the more enduring careers among performers who started as child actors, headlining NBC's "Heroes" as the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet beginning in 2006, and later starring as troubled country singer Juliette Barnes on ABC and CMT's "Nashville," a role that earned her two Golden Globe nominations. She also became a fixture of the "Scream" horror franchise, playing Kirby Reed in both 2011's "Scream 4" and 2023's "Scream VI."

Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian former heavyweight boxing champion. Panettiere had spoken publicly in past years about relinquishing primary custody of Kaya in 2018 amid her own struggles with postpartum depression and addiction, describing the decision in a 2022 interview as one of the most painful moments of her life.

Those struggles, along with her recovery journey, were detailed extensively in Panettiere's memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," published in May, just months before her death. The book offered what her publisher described as an intimate account of her experiences with postpartum depression, addiction, trauma and domestic abuse, building on years of public candor about her mental health and substance use history.

Tributes to Panettiere have continued to pour in from former colleagues and friends across the entertainment industry in the days following her death, including from actresses Bethany Joy Lenz and Viola Davis, among others, who have publicly remembered her both for her professional accomplishments and for her openness about her personal struggles.

Panettiere's death also follows a previous family tragedy: her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died suddenly in February 2023 at age 28. His family said at the time that the cause was cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart, combined with aortic valve complications. It remains unclear, based on currently available reporting, whether any connection exists between the circumstances of the two siblings' deaths, and no official source has confirmed such a link.

As of this report, the Greenville County Coroner's Office has not released an official cause of death for Panettiere, and authorities have not provided a specific timeline for when the results of the autopsy might be made public. Police have said the investigation remains active, though preliminary findings continue to point away from any criminal circumstances surrounding her death.

This is a developing story, and further details are expected to be released in the coming days as the coroner's office completes its investigation and toxicology testing, standard components of death investigations involving a reported overdose.

This story touches on substance use and a sudden death, which can be difficult subjects. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, emotional distress or mental health challenges, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org, available 24/7.