Actress Hayden Panettiere Was Found In Cardiac Arrest, Coroner’s Office Says

Topline

Actress Hayden Panettiere, who died Sunday at age 36, was found in cardiac arrest by authorities, and an autopsy found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death, though an official cause of death has yet to be released.

Key Facts

The Greenville County, South Carolina, coroner’s office said Monday that authorities responded to a report of a cardiac arrest, where they found Panettiere unresponsive and experiencing cardiac arrest.

Emergency medical services administered “advanced cardiac life support measures,” but resuscitation efforts were not successful and Panettiere was pronounced dead shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to the coroner’s statement.

Officials completed an autopsy, which found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death.

Panettiere’s cause of death remains “pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies,” the coroner’s office said.

What Do We Know About Hayden Panettiere’s Death?

Authorities said they responded to a call reporting a cardiac arrest at approximately 1:51 p.m. on Sunday. Panettiere was found unresponsive at the location, an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, where she was temporarily staying. Panettiere’s father announced her death in a statement late Sunday. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Skip Panettiere said, remembering his daughter as “an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.” Following Panettiere’s death, the Greenville Police Department said in a statement there were “not any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.”

Celebrities Post Tributes To Hayden Panettiere

Viola Davis, who co-starred with Panettiere in the 2016 film “Custody,” paid tribute to the actress in a post on Instagram early Monday. “What an amazing talent you were....so gifted,” Davis wrote, calling Panettiere an “old, wise soul with such a deep heart.” Some of Panettiere’s co-stars from the “Scream” horror movies also paid tribute, with Melissa Barrera writing on Instagram, “Rest in peace sweet Hayden,” and David Arquette calling her a “brave and brilliant soul.” Many more actors, including Rosie O’Donnell, Selma Blair, Kim Cattrall and Bethany Joy Lenz also paid tribute in social media posts.

key background

Panettiere first rose to fame as a child actress, starring in such soap operas as “One Life to Live” and “Guiding Light” in the 1990s before booking a voice role in the animated film “A Bug's Life” (1998). She continued to star in films, like “Remember the Titans” (2000) and several movies in the “Scream” horror franchise, while also playing a lead role in the NBC superhero drama series “Heroes” (2006-2010) and a main role on the ABC drama series “Nashville” (2012-2018). Panettiere has been vocal about her struggles with mental health and substance abuse, and she released a memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning” in May. After giving birth to her only daughter in 2014, Panettiere entered a treatment facility for postpartum depression, and she gave up custody of her daughter to her former partner, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018, citing depression and substance abuse struggles. In an interview earlier this year on the “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” podcast, Panettiere pushed back against a “misconception” that she has been “forced into treatment when, in fact, I have been the one who has sought it out,” also denying allegations she had abandoned her daughter. “I mean, the idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking,” Panettiere said.

further reading

Hayden Panettiere tributes include Viola Davis, Selma Blair and Melissa Barrera (Associated Press)