The recent passing of Hayden Panettiere has been determined as accidental due to the “toxic effects” of a combination of drugs, including fentanyl, as stated by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. Panettiere, known for her roles in popular TV series such as Heroes and Nashville, passed away on August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, where she was residing at the time. Emergency responders found her in cardiac arrest upon arrival and their resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.
After a collaborative investigation by the Coroner’s Office and the Greenville City Police Department, it was confirmed in an official statement to CBC News that the cause of death was attributed to toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine. Alprazolam is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant, and Quetiapine is an antipsychotic medication. Furthermore, 4-ANPP is a compound associated with the production of fentanyl, a potent opioid.
During the autopsy, no indications of trauma that could have led to her death were found. It was later revealed in the coroner’s report that Panettiere had been discharged from a rehabilitation facility in Malibu, California, shortly before her demise. The actress, who passed away just before her 37th birthday, had openly discussed her struggles with early fame, addiction, and mental health, including postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter in 2014. She had shared her personal experiences in interviews and in her recent memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”
The news of Panettiere’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes and memories from fans and colleagues. Additionally, it reignited past criticisms against the skincare company Neutrogena, where Panettiere had been a global brand ambassador for almost a decade before her daughter’s birth. She had claimed that the company terminated their partnership after she started speaking publicly about her battle with postpartum depression.