Autopsy shows Hayden Panettiere died from a drug overdose
Image source, Getty ImagesPublished22 September 2026, 15:30 BSTUpdated 10 minutes agoChild star Hayden Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and several other drugs in her system, according to an autopsy completed by the Greenville County Coroner's Office in South Carolina.
The coroner's office said Panettiere's death was an accident and that no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to her death.
Panettiere died last month at the age of 36 after she was found unresponsive at a South Carolina residence.
The star of US TV shows Heroes and Nashville had spoken openly about her struggles with substance abuse.
The coroner's office also found methocarbamol - a prescription muscle relaxant - and quetiapine - an antipsychotic medication that is used to treat certain mental health conditions.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans over the past five years alone.
