New details from Hayden Panettiere's coroner's report, obtained by the Associated Press, have shed light on the moments before and after her death on 16 August, at age 36.
What happened that day
According to the report, one of the Hickerson brothers, Panettiere's ex Brian and his brother Zach, told police they'd seen her applying makeup around 10:30am on the day she died, before going back to sleep. He later woke to a knock at the door. Both men found Panettiere face down in a sitting position on a sofa bed with her legs crossed, a position they said wasn't unusual for her, but grew concerned when they were unable to wake her. One of them administered two doses of Narcan and called 911. The men reportedly told police they weren't aware whether Panettiere had taken any illegal substances in the previous 48 hours, noting she was "very good at hiding them." Paramedics performed CPR and advanced resuscitation efforts for more than 40 minutes before she was declared dead at the scene.
Official cause of death
Officials previously confirmed Panettiere's death was caused by the toxic effects of fentanyl. The coroner's report states: "An autopsy was completed by a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist. At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death. The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine. The manner of death has been ruled an accident."
Her family
Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she was on-and-off between 2009 and 2018. According to the coroner's report, Panettiere's father, Alan "Skip" Panettiere, had been planning to visit her in Greenville, South Carolina, on what would have been her 37th birthday, before travelling on to Ukraine to see Kaya.
Tributes since her death
On what would have been her birthday, just days after her death, Klitschko shared a tribute, writing: "Today is Hayden's birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world. I want to thank all of Hayden's fans, friends, and everyone who has reached out for the incredible outpouring of love and support. At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there is still so much good in humanity." He concluded: "If you're reading this, I ask just one thing: even if only for a moment, think about LOVE. Reach out to a friend. Forgive someone. Be kind. Love is a superpower. Use it."
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