No 'Foul Play' In Scream 4 Actor Hayden Panettiere's Death, Toxic Effects Of Drugs Cited

Panettiere died five days before her 37th birthday in August.

23 Sep 2026, 05:48 · NDTV

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Hayden Panettiere died from toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax, and other drugs, confirmed by the coroner
The death was ruled accidental with no signs of trauma or foul play involved
Panettiere had publicly discussed her struggles with addiction and had been sober since 2020

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Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and in Scream 4 and Scream VI, died due to the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and other drugs, confirmed the Greenville County Coroner's Office. Ruling out any foul play, the office added that the death was an 'accident' and there were no signs of 'trauma'.

"The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol and Quetiapine," the coroner's official statement said, adding that there were "no signs of trauma" that would have contributed to death. "The manner of death has been ruled accident."

"The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances," a spokesperson said. "An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call."

Panettiere died five days before her 37th birthday in August.

Panettiere had always been vocal about her struggles with alcohol and drugs.

In 2020, she spent time at a rehab facility and got sober.

In 2023, her younger brother Jansen died unexpectedly of a heart condition at 28. "When something that massive has happened to you, you really learn to pick your fights and just not let the little things upset you," she told People magazine in 2024 about the death. "Because once something so horrific, so deep, so catastrophic happens in your life, there's not much that can really rock you."

She made headlines following the People interview.

When fans expressed concerns over her health and slurred speech, she spoke about via an Instagram post. "I hadn't slept for two days prior to the shoot due to one of my dogs who was recovering from an emergency surgical procedure," she shared at the time, also responding to claims about medication she may be on. "I was exhausted. My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading - especially as the subject matter became heavier... Grief looks different on everyone. Whether or not I am on medication is none of anyone's business and is between me and my doctor."

She continiued, "Mental health is so important, and I hope those reading this now understand that what you say hiding behind a computer screen can have a detrimental impact on someone."

Panettiere later earned two Golden Globe nominations for playing Juliette Barnes on Nashville.

She published her first book, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May of this year.

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