The DEA, which is the US Drug Enforcement Administration, has joined the investigation into beloved actress Hayden Panettiere’s passing, TMZ reports.
According to the outlet, the DEA has agents “assisting the parallel death investigations already underway,” joining in on the efforts with the Greenville Police Department and the coroner’s office.
Panettiere passed away on Sunday, Aug. 16, with paramedics heard telling a dispatcher about a possible “overdose,” while Narcan, which is an over-the-counter treatment used for overdoses, found in the apartment where she died.
Brian Hickerson Spotted For First Time Since Hayden Panettiere’s Passing
Hickerson, who was in the apartment at the time of Panettiere’s death, was spotted for the first time since news of her death broke. According to photos obtained by TMZ, Hickerson stepped outside in South Carolina on Wednesday, August 19, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.
At the time of her passing, Hickerson was sleeping in the other room, while his brother Zach arrived at the residence and discovered Panettiere unresponsive. Zach was also recently photographed picking up food.
Police Visited The Family Home of Brian Hickerson
On the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 19, police were seen visiting the family home of Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend as the investigation into her death is ongoing. However, according to Page Six, it is not connected to this.
Page Six reports that the Greenville Police Department officers arrived at the South Carolina property at approximately 8:20 a.m., with officers knocking on several doors but receiving no response. They left approximately three minutes later.
A spokesperson for the Greenville Police Department provided some additional information later in the day, saying that the officers had “responded to a call for a welfare check at a home belonging to Brian Hickerson’s family on Wednesday morning.”
“The call is unrelated to the Hayden Panettiere death investigation and did not require an incident report,” they added.
Hayden Panettiere Was Struggling With Being ‘Shunned By Hollywood
GettyAccording to insiders who shared new details with The Daily Mail, Panettiere struggled with being shunned by Hollywood and being unable to find work. At the same time, she was dealing with her her mental health and addiction struggles
According to the outlet, all of Panettiere’s “personal and professional setbacks culminated this weekend,” with the actress flying with her ex-boyfriend to South Carolina.
‘Hayden had mental health struggles and addiction issues going on and they played a part in why her career didn’t take off again after Nashville,’ one industry insider told the Daily Mail. “When she was filming the show she had problems on the set, with execs and with her co-stars. She sometimes came to work looking like she’d been out partying. She’d often have to spend extra time in make-up to get her looking camera ready. She’d also sometimes be late for her call time.”
“She was desperate to land another series after Nashville ended, but the word had got out in Hollywood that she was a bit of a problem. Although she was considered a TV star, she still had to audition for big TV projects. She often struggled to get past the audition stage,” they added. “Hayden was on a downward swing recently due to lack of decent roles.”
