DEA Joins Investigation into Actress Hayden Panettiere's Death
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The Story
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has joined the investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere. Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday afternoon. First responders found her in cardiac arrest and attempted life support, but she could not be revived. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 pm. Brian Hickerson, Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, and his brother Zach Hickerson were at the residence when she died. Brian Hickerson showed investigators a bag of medication that Panettiere had been taking, stating she was on nine medications. An autopsy performed on Monday revealed no signs of trauma that might have contributed to her death. Her cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further investigation and additional testing, with toxicology results expected in several weeks. Panettiere spoke candidly about her drug use and the downfall of addiction. She wrote in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," about sustaining a concussion, whiplash, and neck injuries at 14 from being thrown from a zebra on a movie set, which she said still bothered her decades later. She also linked a flare-up of an old neck injury to escalating opioid use. Panettiere had struggled with postpartum depression and substance addiction, relinquishing custody of her daughter Kaya in 2018. Panettiere's neighbor, Mia Terzas, described Brian Hickerson as a terrifying disturbance, stating she called 911 at least a half dozen times over altercations from Panettiere's West Hollywood apartment. Terzas said Hickerson was banned from the property and she witnessed Panettiere leave injured on a gurney twice. Panettiere's estranged mother also blasted Brian Hickerson. Authorities have not determined whether opioids, other medications, or Panettiere’s previous injuries played any role in her death.
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What they agree on
- Actress Hayden Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive and pronounced dead in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday afternoon.
- Brian Hickerson, Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the residence when she died.
- An autopsy found no signs of trauma, and the cause and manner of death are pending toxicology results.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has joined the investigation into Panettiere's death.
- Panettiere had spoken publicly about her struggles with drug use, opioid addiction, and postpartum depression.
Where they split
- The Daily Beast and HuffPost devote coverage to Panettiere's relationship with Brian Hickerson, including neighbor accounts of alleged abuse and her mother's criticism, which is less detailed in other reports.
- The Daily Wire focuses on Panettiere's past injuries from a zebra accident and a neck injury contributing to opioid use, and also covers fan reactions and boycotts against Neutrogena.
- The New York Times and CNN primarily report on the DEA joining the investigation, with less emphasis on personal background details.
- Belfast Telegraph includes a quote from "Heroes" co-star Jack Coleman expressing regret, a human interest detail not found in other news reports.