Hayden Panettiere’s sudden passing has taken an unsettling turn after newly surfaced 911 audio offered a glimpse into what happened during the actress’ final moments.
The recording reportedly captures emergency responders being dispatched after Panettiere was found unresponsive inside her South Carolina home on Sunday, August 16.
Meanwhile, some fans are now wondering whether a possible connection to her brother Jansen Panettiere’s passing could shed more light on the tragedy.
A 911 dispatch audio hinted at the cause behind Hayden Panettiere’s passing
Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images
Hayden’s father, Alan Lee “Skip” Panettiere, confirmed her passing in a statement to TMZ, asking for privacy as the family processes the loss.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her, and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”
Amid the family’s grief, new details about the actress’ final moments have emerged following the release of 911 dispatch audio obtained by Page Six.
In the audio, emergency responders reportedly described an “unidentified female” in cardiac arrest, adding that “CPR is in process.”
The dispatch recording also reportedly included the word “ov***ose,” raising questions about what may have happened before the actress was found unresponsive.
According to TMZ, law enforcement sources said a friend called 911 at approximately 1:51 p.m. on Sunday, after finding the actress “unresponsive and in cardiac arrest.”
First responders reportedly attempted to revive the 36-year-old using advanced cardiac life support, but she was pronounced deceased at the scene at 2:32 p.m.
Authorities have dismissed the possibility of foul play being involved
The Greenville Police Department and county coroner are still investigating, and an autopsy is expected to provide more information.
Authorities issued a public statement, as reported by Variety, saying, “Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
The statement continued, “The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.”
Police have also stressed that there is currently no indication of foul play.
“The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call.”
Notably, the identity of the person who made the call has not been publicly revealed.
TMZ also noted that it remains unclear whether Hayden’s on-again, off-again partner, Brian Hickerson, was the person who contacted emergency services.
Fans are connecting Hayden’s cardiac arrest to her brother Jansen Panettiere’s sudden passing
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
The mention of cardiac arrest has also led some fans to draw comparisons with the sudden passing of Hayden’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, in February 2023.
Jansen, who was 28 at the time, was found to have cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, along with aortic valve complications, according to medical examiner findings shared by the Panettiere family.
The siblings had been particularly close, and Hayden previously described losing her only brother as one of the most devastating experiences of her life.
Following the reports about her cardiac arrest, one fan raised the possibility of a connection, writing, “I’m wondering if she d**d of an enlarged heart like her brother did a few years ago. Because it is hereditary.”
However, there is currently no evidence that Hayden had cardiomegaly or that her brother’s condition played any role in her passing.
Cardiac arrest itself does not establish the underlying cause, and whether she had any heart condition can only be determined through the ongoing medical investigation.
The new developments surrounding Hayden’s passing come just months after the actress became increasingly candid about some of the most painful experiences of her life.
The 36-year-old star had been increasingly vocal about her painful Hollywood experiences in recent months
In May this year, she released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she revisited her childhood in Hollywood.
The Heroes star also shared her struggles with substance dependence and mental health, as well as disturbing experiences she said she endured within the entertainment industry.
Panettiere spoke publicly about those experiences during the press tour for the book, including a disturbing yacht incident she said occurred when she was 18.
She alleged that an industry friend she had “grown to trust” and viewed as a protector led her into a cabin and placed her in bed beside a “very famous” unclothed man.
Panettiere also described being “gr**med” for child stardom by her parents, saying she had been treated “like a little soldier” from a young age and that “no was never an option.”
Her final months were marked by a willingness to tell her story on her own terms, making the uncertainty surrounding her sudden passing even more difficult for fans to process.
As of this writing, the investigation remains ongoing, and the official cause of Hayden’s passing remains unknown.
“Let’s be realistic here, given her history and how public she was about it, the demons finally won…” one netizen wrote
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