Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the South Carolina apartment where actress Hayden Panettiere passed away over the weekend, as per a police report released on Tuesday.
Upon arriving at the residence on Sunday afternoon in response to a call, a Greenville police officer encountered the Hickerson brothers and witnessed paramedics administering CPR to an unresponsive woman, the report detailed.
The officer noted that there were no apparent physical reasons for the woman’s unresponsiveness. Despite efforts to revive her, Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m.
The cause of her death is still undetermined, and authorities are actively investigating. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, and police confirmed there were no indications of foul play. Panettiere, aged 36, tragically passed away.
Panettiere had a tumultuous relationship with Brian Hickerson for several years, with allegations of physical abuse against the 37-year-old aspiring actor.
In 2020, Hickerson faced multiple felony abuse charges, to which he pleaded no contest to two counts of harming a spouse or partner. Following a brief jail term, he was placed on four years of probation and mandated to attend anger management and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions.
Despite completing the requirements, Hickerson recently sought to have his conviction reduced to misdemeanors but was denied by a judge in Los Angeles last Thursday.
Fans and co-stars mourned the death of 36-year-old actor Hayden Panettiere, best known for roles in Heroes and Nashville. Police are investigating the cause of her death, but said there are no signs of foul play.
Report heavily redacted
A redacted police report indicated that the responding officer initially spoke with Zach Hickerson, who identified the unresponsive woman as his brother’s girlfriend.
The officer mentioned that Zach appeared visibly emotional while emergency medical services attended to Hayden, and Brian exhibited emotions only after her official declaration of death by EMS.
After the tragic confirmation of her passing, the officer escorted the Hickerson brothers out of the apartment. A more detailed conversation with Brian is redacted from the report.
Additionally, the list of medications Panettiere had been taking was redacted from the report.
Ex-fiancé speaks out
Prior to this, Hayden Panettiere’s former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko expressed his thoughts on the sudden loss of the actress.
The Ukrainian boxer, who is also the father of their daughter Kaya, 11, shared a heartfelt message.
“Our family is experiencing deep shock and grief,” he posted on his Instagram account alongside a picture of himself, Panettiere, and their daughter.
“The news of Hayden’s tragic passing deeply saddens me. She departed this world prematurely. Although she was no longer my partner, she held a significant place in my life and was the mother of our daughter.”
Kaya was born to Panettiere and Klitschko in December