Hayden Panettiere was found unresponsive at a South Carolina apartment complex on August 16

Hayden Panettiere was found unresponsive at a South Carolina apartment complex on August 16, according to a police report. The Greenville Police Department confirmed that she was with her ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach when the emergency response occurred. The cause of death has not been confirmed, but an autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, while toxicology testing is pending.

Emergency workers arrived after a call about an 'unresponsive female,' and officers found Panettiere with Hickerson and his brother. Zach was described as 'very emotional' during the emergency response, while Brian 'did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased,' according to the report.

Hickerson also showed police 'the bag of medication Hayden is currently on.' Paramedics tried to revive Panettiere, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident has raised questions about the couple's tumultuous past and Hickerson's history of violence against Panettiere.

Panettiere and Hickerson began dating in 2018, but their relationship was marked In 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend in cases involving Panettiere. He was sentenced to jail and probation and was ordered to stay away from her.

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Panettiere later wrote about the abuse in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, describing one attack as 'so severe that she stayed home for weeks.' She expressed a desire to ensure Hickerson would never hurt anyone again, saying 'I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.' However, it appears that Hickerson's behavior has continued despite their reported reconciliation in 2022. Panettiere told People at the time that she and Hickerson had reconnected as friends after he completed his sentence and began treatment.

Despite their reported friendship, Hickerson spoke about Panettiere after her memoir came out in May, saying 'I got arrested for, you know, abusing her, and I wouldn’t blame her friends for being pissed off at me. You never lay hands on a woman, bottom line.' The revelation has sparked outrage and questions about whether Hickerson's behavior contributed to Panettiere's death.

The police report confirms that Hickerson was present during the emergency response but does not say he caused Panettiere's death. Toxicology testing is pending, and an autopsy found no signs of trauma. As the investigation continues, fans and friends are left wondering what led to Panettiere's tragic passing.