Hayden Panettiere's mother says the actress' boyfriend was 'someone the family wanted to get rid of'

Remember the life and trajectory of actress Hayden Panettiere, who died at the age of 36. Actress Hayden Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, spoke for the first time this Tuesday (18) after her daughter's death. Lesley didn't have much contact with her daughter, but in an interview with NBC News, she said the family had issues with Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend. "That person in her life that we had been trying to get rid of for a long time was with her at the time of her death, and that person was Brian Hickerson." Medication used to reverse overdose is found at the scene of death Initial autopsy finds no signs of trauma after actress is found in cardiac arrest Hayden's death, aged 36, was announced in the early hours of this Monday (17). The case is being investigated and Vogel says he still has little information, but that he intends to "speak to a detective." "I think Hayden was an incredibly talented person in many ways, and I think for young people growing up in the entertainment industry (which is a struggle and a very challenging medium), it's not uncommon for them to end up, unfortunately, going down the wrong path." "I just feel like she's with her brother and they're at peace," he added. Hayden's brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly in 2023, aged 28. Boyfriend was at the scene TMZ reported this Tuesday (18) that Brian and his brother, Zach, were present in the apartment when Hayden suffered a cardiac arrest last Sunday (16). According to the incident report released by local police, Zach was "very shaken" while rescuers tried to revive the artist. Brian would only have shown a reaction after confirming death at the scene. He also allegedly presented agents with a bag containing the medication the actress used. Emergency teams were called at around 1:50 pm to respond to a call of cardiorespiratory arrest at a property rented through an app, in Greenville, South Carolina. Rescuers carried out emergency procedures to try to save the actress's life, but she was declared dead at 2:32 pm. According to TMZ, the couple's presence in the region was frequent, although the specific reason for this recent trip has not yet been clarified by authorities. Who is Hayden Panettiere Hayden Panettiere died this Sunday (16), aged 36 REUTERS A former child actress, Panettiere gained widespread recognition when she voiced Dot, the young ant princess in Pixar's 1998 animated hit, "A Bug's Life". His work on the film's co-reading album earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for Children. She rose to fame playing Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader with superpowers, on the hit NBC series "Heroes," which premiered in 2006. She also appeared in the 2000 football drama "Remember the Titans," starring Denzel Washington. Panettiere received two Golden Globe nominations, in 2013 and 2014, in the category of Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Miniseries or Television Film for her role as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama "Nashville." She was also part of the horror franchise "Scream". Panettiere's most recent appearance was in the psychological thriller "Sleepwalker," released in the U.S. in January 2026, in which she played a grieving mother tormented by episodes of sleepwalking, according to IMDb. His brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023, at age 28, due to complications related to an enlarged heart and an aortic valve problem, according to a family statement released to the American press later that year. Addiction to drugs and alcohol In 2022, the actress had revealed in an interview with People magazine an addiction to drugs and alcohol that almost cost her her life. "I was on top of the world and I ruined everything," he said. Panettiere said she spent years battling addiction while also dealing with postpartum depression. The actress sought treatment for her depression, but found herself increasingly dependent on alcohol. "There was just this gray color in my life," he lamented. Hayden Panettiere arrives at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, 2009, in Los Angeles AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File The actress says she didn't drink during her pregnancy, but says, "I never felt like I wanted to harm my daughter, but I didn't want to spend any time with her." Panettiere says she worked hard to be honest with herself to face hospitalization and trauma treatment last year. "I think I've hit rock bottom, but there's that trapdoor that opens." In the interview, the actress, who began her career at the age of 11, acting in soap operas and films such as "Duel of the Titans", also revealed that, when she was 15 years old, a member of her team started offering "happy pills" so that she could walk on red carpets. "It was supposed to keep me excited during the interviews. And I had no idea that that wasn't appropriate, or that it was the opening door to my addiction," he says. *With information from Reuters.