Hayden Panettiere’s mum says family tried to ‘get rid’ of boyfriend amid funeral ‘battle’

Hayden Panettiere’s mother Lesley Vogel has broken her silence on her daughter’s death and called out boyfriend Brian Hickerson, while a separate report claims a “battle” is brewing over the late star’s funeral.

Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16, at age 36, after being found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina. 

The police report said she was with Brain Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, who were at the apartment when emergency responders arrived. There are currently no signs of foul play, while Panettiere’s cause and manner of death remain under investigation.

Now, Vogel has spoken publicly about her daughter for the first time since her death, revealing they had not been in contact for months while claiming her family had concerns about Hickerson.

Hayden Panettiere’s mum speaks out about Brian Hickerson

Speaking to NBC News, Vogel said, “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson.

“I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry – it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.”

“I think Hayden sadly lost her way and I wish it were different,” Vogel added. “I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”

Hickerson – an aspiring actor and real estate agent – had an on-and-off relationship with Panettiere dating back to 2018, during which he faced multiple allegations of domestic violence involving the actress.

In 2019, he was arrested following an alleged domestic violence incident involving Panettiere, although the case was later dismissed. He was arrested again in 2020 and subsequently faced eight charges relating to alleged incidents involving the actress between 2019 and 2020.

In April 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of probation and ordered to attend 52 domestic violence classes.

Panettiere and Hickerson later reconciled, with the actress saying in 2023 that he had become sober and their relationship depended on him continuing his recovery. 

The actress addressed the relationship in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, published in May, where she alleged Hickerson had once beaten her so badly that she stayed inside for weeks.

“It’s part of my story whether I want it to be or not,” she wrote, also expressing that she never wanted to become a “spokesperson for domestic violence” or describe herself as a victim. 

By that time, she told reporters that she was single. Hickerson and his brother were with Panettiere at the time of her death. 

Hayden was estranged from her mother Lesley Vogel before her death

The comments about her daughter’s relationship come after Panettiere opened up about her difficult relationship with her mother in This Is Me: A Reckoning.

Vogel, a former actress, had managed Panettiere’s career from childhood, with the Nashville star beginning work before she was even a year old. 

Looking back, Panettiere said the lines between their personal and professional relationships became increasingly blurred, to the point where she came to view her mother as her boss rather than a parent.

Speaking about their dynamic on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast in May, Panettiere said “everything was business”, adding, “I became the confidant and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child.”

At 19, while starring in Heroes, Panettiere ended their working relationship, telling Vogel, “I don’t want us to work together anymore. I just want you to be my mom.” According to Panettiere, her mother responded, “You owe me.” 

Vogel strongly disputed her daughter’s account amid the memoir’s release. In a statement to Page Six, she claimed the “present drama is partially to sell books” and said she had chosen to go no-contact after what she described as “20 years of trauma”. 

Vogel also made a series of allegations about Panettiere’s behaviour, claiming she displayed a need for “control, entitlement and a lack of empathy”.

Panettiere subsequently hit back at her mother’s statement, calling it “so false” in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. While she said she had previously wanted to leave the possibility of repairing their relationship open, she added, “She slammed that door pretty hard in my face.”

By the time of Panettiere’s death, the pair remained estranged, with Vogel claiming their last conversation was in October 2025. 

A ‘battle’ is reportedly unfolding over Hayden’s funeral

Since Vogel’s statement, sources have told Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice that Panettiere’s mother is allegedly pushing to be involved in her daughter’s funeral. 

One insider claimed, “Lesley is Hayden’s mother, but that doesn’t erase the history between them. There are people around Hayden who believe those closest to her should be making these decisions, especially after everything that happened between Hayden and her mother.”

They added, “This should be about Hayden, not old family battles. Everyone needs to put their personal history aside and ask one question: What would Hayden have wanted?”

Film Shrine has contacted Vogel for comment. 

Featured image credit: Startraks/Shutterstock/Teton County Sheriff