Hayden Panettiere’s Cause of Death Released

Hayden Panettiere’s untimely August death at 36-years-old has been deemed an accidental overdose.

Greenville, South Carolina’s coroner’s office confirmed Tuesday that the actress died as a result of toxic effects related to multiple prescription medications and fentanyl. The prescription drugs included Alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax), Methocarbamol (a muscle relaxer), and Quetiapine (an antipsychotic). 4-ANPP (a substance present in the production of fentanyl) was also found in her system.

Panettiere was found unresponsive at a Greenville apartment complex on August 16 and was pronounced dead less than 45 minutes later after resuscitation attempts failed.

“On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1:51 PM, a 911 call was received regarding a reported cardiac arrest at 701 Easley Bridge Road in Greenville. First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest. EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM,” the coroner’s office said in a statement. 

The coroner’s office and the Greenville City Police Department entered an investigation together following Panettiere’s death. An autopsy was then performed and, per the county’s statement, showed “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”

Tuesday’s statement from the coroner’s office added, “The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects (of drugs consumed). … The manner of death has been ruled accident.”

Prior to her death, Panettiere had success as an actress across film and TV, including starring roles in a pair of hit television series, Heroes and Nashville. Panettiere’s film career included roles in A Bug’s Life, Remember the Titans, Bring It On: All or Nothing, Scream 4, and more than a dozen other films.

Her voice work on A Bug’s Life earned her a Grammy nomination.

Panettiere’s survived by her daughter, Kaya.