Hayden Panettiere’s mum says a narcotics investigator was brought in as DEA joins the case

Hayden Panettiere’s mum, Lesley Vogel, has revealed that police told her a narcotics investigator had joined the investigation into her daughter’s death, as the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is now also assisting with the case.

Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16, aged 36, after she was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at the Greenville, South Carolina residence where she had been staying.

The Greenville City Police Department remains the lead investigative agency, while ABC News has reported that the DEA is now assisting the local investigation.

The development comes after police released a report detailing what happened at the property. According to the report, Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the residence when emergency responders arrived.

Importantly, though, authorities have not said that the DEA’s involvement means anyone has been accused of wrongdoing. And Panettiere’s official cause and manner of death remain pending.

So, what has Hayden’s mum said about the investigation?

Vogel spoke to NBC News and said police had told her a narcotics investigator had been brought into the case.

“They brought in a narcotics investigator into the case,” Vogel said. “It leads me to believe they have questions, which of course they all do.”

The federal agency is assisting the Greenville City Police Department, which remains in charge of the investigation. The new investigation details also come after a police report showed that Hickerson was present when Panettiere died.

According to the report, an officer arrived at the Greenville residence after being called to help with an unresponsive person. The officer wrote that Panettiere “did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive.” And that emergency medical workers attempted life-saving measures before declaring her dead.

The report also said Hickerson showed officers a bag containing medication Panettiere had been taking. But the report said it was unknown whether Panettiere had been using drugs or alcohol at the time of her death.

Hayden had spoken openly about addiction

Panettiere had been remarkably open about her history with addiction in the months before her death. In her memoir, she wrote about her experiences with drugs, alcohol, recovery and what she called “the downfall of addiction”.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Addicts aren’t patient,” Panettiere wrote. “When we’re shaking, nauseated, anxious, lonely or depressed, we need instant relief that sends us into that pain-free place called denial.”

She also described being given a “happy pill” as a teenager. She wrote, “At 16, they were the gateway drug that ushered me toward the good of pharmaceuticals and the downfall of addiction.”

Panettiere entered treatment for depression in 2015. She later returned to a treatment centre for eight months in 2021, according to The New York Times.

The Greenville Police Department has previously said its preliminary investigation showed no signs of foul play. The coroner’s office has said the cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and additional studies.

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