HAYDEN Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend was by her side when the star died – and showed police a “bag of medication”.
Brian Hickerson did not become visibly emotional until EMS declared the 36-year-old actress dead, according to a heavily redacted report released by Greenville Police.
He was at the rented Airbnb apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, where the beloved Nashville and Heroes star was found “unresponsive” on Sunday, according to police bodycam footage that is yet to be released to the public.
Brian showed officers the medication that Hayden was taking at the time of her death, NBC News reported.
His brother, Zach, also witnessed her death, and was “very emotional” as emergency medical services professionals were “working on Hayden.”
Responding officer Matthew Bryan said he first spoke with Zach at the scene.
According to TMZ, Zach actually first discovered Hayden sitting in a chair in the living room when he entered the home on Sunday afternoon.
Brian had been asleep in a separate room at the time, the outlet reported.
Hayden, who struggled with opioid and alcohol addiction, was described by the 911 dispatchers as suffering from a cardiac arrest and suspected overdose.
Narcan, a nasal spray used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, was discovered on the mattress of the apartment where she was staying, TMZ reported.
Authorities have not determined that an overdose caused Hayden’s death, and the coroner’s findings remain pending.
An autopsy was completed on Monday, and officials said that “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”
First responders initiated cardiac life support measures when they arrived at the scene, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, the statement added.
Hayden’s relationship with Brian was highly volatile, spanning from 2018 until her death, and involved multiple domestic violence arrests, jail time and a rumoured secret reconciliation recently.
The pair began dating in 2018, sparking controversy almost immediately.
Her family and friends were “deeply concerned,” a source told Radar Online in November 2018.
“They do not approve. They are hoping that this is something that she is going to evolve from,” the source said.
The two stayed together, and things went from bad to worse.
Brian was arrested twice – once in 2019 and then in 2020 – for domestic violence.
In May 2019, Brian was arrested for domestic violence after an incident at the actress’ Hollywood home.
Soon after the second incident, Hayden released a statement to her fans about his past arrests.
“I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,” she said.
“I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.
“I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.”
Hayden and Brian kept a low profile during the final years of her life. He was spotted attending her brother Jansen’s funeral by her side in 2023.
He was also seen helping her through a Los Angeles airport while she hobbled on crutches in March of this year.
When the actress released her memoir earlier this year, it was reported that they had split long ago.
But according to TMZ, the couple was fully together and hiding the romance.
“Hayden’s team felt Brian was bad for business,” a source told the outlet.