Hayden Panettiere Privately Entered Rehab Weeks Before Her Death

Sep 24, 2026 - 01:08

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New details have emerged regarding Hayden Panettiere’s final weeks.

Following the confirmation from the Greenville County Coroner's Office that the Nashville star died as a result of drugs in her system at a South Carolina Airbnb Aug. 16, a source close to Panettiere told E! News she had "proactively sought treatment and checked herself into a facility because she was afraid of relapsing and jeopardizing her sobriety."

The source added that Panettiere did so discreetly and left rehab around three weeks before her death.

The Heroes star’s treatment stay in the time leading up to her death was also confirmed in a report from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office obtained by Page Six that stated investigators were told by someone on the scene "that Panettiere “was in a drug rehab facility in Malibu, California, up until a few weeks ago."

The same person, according to the report, said the 36-year-old had overdosed prior to her time spent in rehab, and she’d had “a long history of drug, alcohol and nitrous oxide abuse.”

The person interviewed by the coroner’s investigator said they “had to administer Narcan to the decedent before.” As for Panettiere’s time in North Carolina alongside ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson, they added, per the report, they were “unaware of the decedent using any illegal substances yesterday or today but stated that she was very good at hiding them.”

E! News has reached out to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office for additional information but has not heard back.

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In a Sept. 22 release from the Greenville County Coroner's Office shared with E! News, the coroner formally ruled her cause of death as “toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine,” the latter of which are an anti-anxiety medication, a muscle relaxer and a medication to treat depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The release noted the manner of Panettiere’s death was an accident and that “no signs of trauma were discovered” during her autopsy “that would have contributed to the death.”

A detailed report released by the Medical Examiner and also obtained by TMZ said the coroner also found blue pressed pills—which are counterfeit tablets made to look like regulated prescription medications—that tested positive for fentanyl. They also found a straw on the table near where Panettiere’s body was found as well as a sunglasses case containing white powder inside her suitcase.

Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic

The report also stated that Panettiere had turned “deep purple” when the Brian and Zach discovered her body. Zach previously told TMZ that upon discovering the Remember the Titans star’s body, he “immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan.”

Following the confirmation of Panettiere’s cause of death, her rep shared additional insight into the status of the Racing Stripes star’s case with authorities.

“The investigation remains ongoing and the circumstances surrounding the case are complex,” Kasey Kitchen told E! News on Sept. 22. “We must all continue to remain patient and allow the investigative process to unfold.”

For more about what we know so far about Panettiere’s death, keep reading.

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