New details surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s sudden death have emerged as authorities continue investigating what happened to the actress in South Carolina.

Panettiere, known for Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, died on August 16 at the age of 36.

According to authorities, emergency responders were called to a residence in Greenville after an acquaintance reported an unresponsive woman. The call came at approximately 1:51 p.m.

Responders found Panettiere in cardiac arrest and attempted resuscitation. She was pronounced dead at approximately 2:32 p.m.

Early reports focused heavily on a possible overdose after dispatch communications referenced an apparent overdose. However, that does not represent an official determination of her cause of death.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office subsequently conducted an autopsy and reported that there were no signs of trauma contributing to her death.

The official cause and manner of death remain pending.

Police have also said there are currently no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances surrounding the actress’s death.

Panettiere had previously been open about her history with substance abuse. In past interviews, she described being introduced to pills as a teenager and later struggling with alcohol and opioid addiction.

Yet in 2026, she appeared to be entering a new chapter.

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Her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, gave her an opportunity to revisit some of the most painful experiences of her life, including addiction, motherhood, mental-health struggles and traumatic experiences from her early years in Hollywood.

One particularly disturbing story involved an alleged incident when she was 18, when she said a trusted female friend brought her onto a boat and placed her in a situation involving an older, famous man. Panettiere said she escaped after realizing what was happening.

She also spoke about surviving an extremely traumatic childbirth, losing her brother Jansen in 2023, and the years she spent trying to rebuild her life.

Her death has now prompted renewed attention to those revelations.

For the moment, however, authorities have not concluded that an overdose caused Panettiere’s death. The investigation remains active, and further toxicology and medical testing will be needed before an official cause can be established.