Brian Hickerson and his brother met officers as paramedics attempted to revive the 36-year-old actor in South Carolina
GREENVILLE: Hayden Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the South Carolina apartment where the actor died on Sunday, according to a police report released Tuesday.
A Greenville police officer arrived at the residence and encountered the two brothers before seeing emergency medical workers performing CPR on Panettiere, who remained unresponsive.
The officer reported seeing no obvious physical reason for her condition. Despite emergency workers’ efforts to revive her, authorities pronounced the Heroes and Nashville star dead at 2:31pm. She was 36 and would have turned 37 on Friday.
Authorities Find No Evidence of Foul Play
Meanwhile, investigators have not determined Panettiere’s cause of death. An autopsy reportedly found no signs of trauma, while police said they discovered no indication of foul play at the apartment.
According to the heavily redacted police report, Zach Hickerson told the responding officer that the unresponsive woman was his brother’s girlfriend.
The officer described Zach as highly emotional while paramedics worked on Panettiere. Brian Hickerson, according to the report, became visibly emotional after emergency workers officially pronounced her dead.
Police subsequently escorted both brothers from the apartment. The officer later spoke with Brian in greater detail, although authorities redacted that portion of the report. Officials also withheld a list of medications Panettiere had reportedly been taking.
Panettiere Had Publicly Discussed Personal Struggles
Panettiere and Brian Hickerson maintained a turbulent relationship that previously resulted in criminal proceedings against him over allegations of domestic abuse.
In her memoir, This Is Me, published in May, Panettiere discussed their relationship and her efforts to forgive him.
The former child star also openly documented her struggles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression following the 2014 birth of her daughter Kaya, whom she shared with former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Authorities said the investigation into Panettiere’s death remains ongoing.
