The investigation into the Hayden Panettiere death is reportedly focused on whether the actor took an oxycodone pill contaminated with fentanyl on the morning she died. The theory has not been confirmed, and officials are still awaiting toxicology findings.
Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive at a home in South Carolina on 16 August. First responders determined that she was in cardiac arrest and attempted to revive her, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said its initial examination found “no signs of trauma” that could have contributed to her death. The office has yet to determine the official cause and manner of death, with the full autopsy report expected in October.
Why investigators are examining a possible overdose
TMZ reported that law enforcement officials are working on the assumption that Panettiere consumed what she believed was oxycodone, but that the pill may also have contained fentanyl. Toxicology tests are expected to show whether either substance was in her system.
Audio from a 911 call made by one of Panettiere’s friends reportedly included references to an “overdose” and “cardiac arrest,” according to People. Those comments prompted early speculation about what happened, though a caller’s description during an emergency is not the same as a medical finding. That less dramatic stage arrives later, usually with paperwork.
