Hayden Panettiere’s parents, Skip Panettiere and Lesley Vogel, both requested the earrings the actress was wearing when she died, according to a new report.
Panettiere died at age 36 on August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both at the property when she was pronounced dead.
Her death was ruled accidental and attributed to the “toxic effects” of multiple drugs, including fentanyl.
According to TMZ, multiple stud earrings were removed from Hayden’s body after her death. The outlet cited a report from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
A senior deputy reportedly spoke with both Skip Panettiere and Lesley Vogel about the jewelry and determined that each parent wanted to receive it.
Officials told them the earrings would remain in a sealed bag until the dispute over Hayden’s personal effects was resolved.
“Both parties were informed that until they could reach an agreement regarding the decedent’s personal effects that they would not be released,” the coroner’s report stated.
Vogel disputed the account, calling it an “absolute fabrication” and “misinformation” in a statement to Our News Outlet.
She said, “we are all seeking justice for Hayden,” adding that “everything pertaining to Hayden’s estate will be handled through the executor.”
Our News Outlet has contacted representatives for Hayden Panettiere for additional comment.
Hayden Panettiere’s parents, Skip Panettiere and Lesley Vogel, both requested the earrings the late actress was wearing when she died, according to authorities. Pictured in 2022
Skip Panettiere and Lesley Vogel, who were also the parents of Hayden’s late brother, Jansen Panettiere, separated in 2008. Jansen died in 2023 at age 28.
Vogel filed for separation in 2012, and the divorce was finalized in 2016.
Skip attended Hayden’s funeral, while Lesley was absent. Sources close to her told the outlet that a family emergency prevented her from attending the service, despite having been invited.
The coroner’s report, released earlier this week, stated that Hayden died from an accidental overdose. Fentanyl was among the substances found in her system.
Other substances detected included alprazolam, a medication used to treat anxiety; the muscle relaxant methocarbamol; and quetiapine, which is used to treat major depression.
On the day of her death, first responders went to a condominium in Greenville, South Carolina, where they attempted to resuscitate the actress before she was pronounced dead.
Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the residence. Authorities said Brian gave them a “bag of medication” belonging to Panettiere.
Hickerson’s attorney, Sloan Ellis, said in an August 20 statement that “Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.”
(L-R) The late Hayden and Jansen Panettiere pictured with Lesley Vogel in Los Angeles in 2019
(L-R) Vogel, Jansen, Hayden and Skip Panettiere pictured in 2008 in Westwood, California
‘As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.’
The brothers ran into trouble earlier this month after they were seen in a conflict with other patrons at the Wild Wing Cafe in Greenville, South Carolina, with Zach arrested in connection with disorderly conduct.
An eyewitness told TMZ that the brothers had been heckled about Panettiere’s death prior to tensions escalating.
Following his release from jail, Zach told TMZ that the public’s misconceptions about the death of the actress had instigated the incident.
‘This is the problem with y’all putting stuff on the Internet: People fill in their own holes and then they want to attack people for no reason,’ Zach told the outlet. ‘It’s just super-frustrating all that we’ve been through and all the rumors that get started and then people believe them, and then they attack as a result of the rumors.’
Zach said he will ‘eventually’ clarify any falsehoods linked to the tragic case.
