Lesley Vogel, the mother of actress Hayden Panettiere, addressed the circumstances surrounding the shocking death of her daughter, star actress Hayden Panettiere, and had harsh words for Hayden’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, while speaking with NBC News.
Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive on August 16 at an apartment in the Judson Mill Lofts complex at 701 Easley Bridge Road in Greenville, South Carolina, where she had been temporarily staying. A 911 call was placed around 1:50 p.m. local time due to a suspected cardiac arrest.
First responders, including emergency medical services and fire personnel, arrived and performed CPR and advanced cardiac life support measures for an extended period. Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 2:32 p.m.
According to a heavily redacted incident report from the Greenville Police Department released on August 18, Brian Hickerson, identified as Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend, and his brother Zach Hickerson were inside the apartment and placed the 911 call. Officer Matthew Bryan, who responded to the scene, noted that when he arrived, multiple EMS and fire personnel were performing CPR on Panettiere, who “did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive.”
Bryan reported that Zach Hickerson was “very emotional” while emergency personnel worked on Panettiere. Brian Hickerson “did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.” At one point, Brian Hickerson showed the officer a bag of medication that Panettiere had been taking, the specific contents of which were redacted in the report.
Officers also noted the presence of surveillance footage from the complex showing Panettiere, Brian Hickerson, and Zach Hickerson prior to the incident. A search warrant was later executed at the location.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office stated that an autopsy conducted on August 17 found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to the death. The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies, including toxicology.
Authorities have indicated that a preliminary investigation showed no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Vogel, who had been estranged from her daughter since approximately mid-September 2025, told NBC News that she had very little information as the investigation was ongoing but planned to speak with a detective. “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,” she said.
“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,” Vogel added. “I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
Regarding the timing of the emergency call, Vogel expressed concern that it was “not the typical hour of the day that you are partying, generally speaking.”
Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mother and former manager, Lesley Vogel, speaks out after the actor’s death at 36 years old:
“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… pic.twitter.com/7FsffbNe9o
— Variety (@Variety) August 18, 2026
Vogel and Hickerson had previously exchanged public comments amid discussions related to Panettiere’s memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which was released earlier this year. Back in May, Hickerson had described Vogel in an interview as “by far, one of the worst people I’ve ever met in my life.”
Vogel had earlier characterized the estrangement as stemming from “20 years of trauma, chaos, addictions [and] accusations,” stating she chose no contact. Panettiere had written in the memoir about her experiences growing up in the entertainment industry under her mother’s management and her own challenges with substance use and other personal matters.
Hickerson, 37, and Panettiere had an intermittent relationship that began around 2018, with periods of separation and reconciliation. He had prior legal involvement related to domestic matters involving Panettiere. Reports indicate the pair, along with Zach Hickerson, had arrived in South Carolina from Los Angeles shortly before the incident.
