Mother questions timeline of daughter's final hours
Lesley Vogel, the mother of actress Hayden Panettiere, has publicly questioned the account of her daughter's final hours, suggesting that the timeline given by Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend, is "full of holes." Panettiere died on August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. She was 36.
According to a police report, Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were at the property when Panettiere was found unresponsive. Authorities have said there were no signs of trauma or foul play, and an official cause and manner of death have not yet been determined. Toxicology testing remains pending.
Vogel, 70, recounted to the Daily Mail that Brian told police he left the property at about 10:30 a.m. while Panettiere was doing her makeup, later returned and went to sleep. Vogel said she does not understand how someone could nap near someone who is dying. "I don't know how you can take a nap near someone who's dying and not realize something's wrong," she said. "When the EMTs came it was for a cardiac arrest. People in cardiac arrest aren't just lying still. They make noise."
Vogel also claimed she believes Brian "knew she was deceased" and "called his brother and… built this story." However, no evidence establishing that allegation has been made public, and police have not accused Brian or Zach of involvement in Panettiere's death.
Brother's account and emergency response
Zach Hickerson has separately given his account of the events to TMZ. He said he knocked loudly, which woke Brian from a nap they were both taking on a pull-out couch bed in the living room. When they tried to wake Panettiere for lunch, they realized she was unconscious. Zach said he immediately called 911, and Brian administered Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. They jointly performed CPR until emergency medical services arrived.
The Greenville police report confirms that Brian and Zach were present and involved in the emergency response. An officer arriving at the property saw firefighters and emergency medical personnel performing CPR on Panettiere. The officer reported there appeared to be no obvious physical reason for her to be unresponsive. Police confirmed Narcan was found at the scene.
Vogel questioned the presence of Narcan, claiming she does not believe Brian happened to have two bottles and that there will be a discrepancy in the timeline about needing to buy it. This claim has not been established by investigators. Emergency radio communications referenced an "overdose," but officials have not determined that an overdose caused her death.
Mother's claim about pawned belongings
In an interview with the New York Times, Vogel claimed that Brian Hickerson pawned several of her belongings, including a vintage guitar. She also said her daughter was shocked to learn that Hickerson had additional possessions stored in his storage unit. Hickerson filed for bankruptcy in 2022, according to reports.
Vogel, who was estranged from her daughter at the time of her death, said she visited Panettiere in Los Angeles last year and found her struggling with significant physical pain. A neighbor at Panettiere's West Hollywood apartment complex, Mia Terrazas, told Page Six that she saw the actress taken from her home on a gurney twice between July 2023 and January 2024, and that Panettiere often appeared with visible bruises. "It appeared that she had been beaten up. It wasn't apparent to me that it could have been anything else," Terrazas said.
Background on the relationship
The relationship between Panettiere and Hickerson was tumultuous since they met in 2018. Hickerson was arrested multiple times for domestic violence against the "Nashville" star, who detailed the abuse in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning." In 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts relating to domestic violence. In an interview earlier this year, he publicly acknowledged having abused Panettiere.
Brian Hickerson's attorney, Sloan Ellis, said police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. "Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time," Ellis said.
Zach Hickerson said, "There are a lot of assumptions, speculations and accusations currently swirling."
Perspectives
Lesley Vogel
Lesley Vogel, Panettiere's mother, has questioned the official account of her daughter's final hours, saying she believes Brian Hickerson "knew she was deceased" and "built this story." She also claims Hickerson pawned some of her belongings and has expressed doubts about the presence of Narcan. Vogel has previously said her estrangement from Hayden was due to the involvement of a toxic individual who she believes led to Hayden's death, though authorities have not supported that allegation. She spoke on Good Morning America about losing both Hayden and her son Jansen Panettiere, who died aged 28 in 2023.
Brian and Zach Hickerson
Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach have provided accounts of the events surrounding Panettiere's death, including administering CPR and Narcan. Zach has said there are "a lot of assumptions, speculations and accusations currently swirling." Brian's attorney has said police confirmed no signs of foul play and declined further comment. Police have not accused either brother of involvement in Panettiere's death.