Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, is raising fresh questions about the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s sudden death — as investigators reportedly bring in a narcotics specialist.
Vogel told NBC Newson Wednesday that police informed her a “narcotics investigator has joined the South Carolina police investigation into the death.”
“It leads me to believe they have questions, which of course they all do,” Vogel said.
Her comments come days after Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive at a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment on Aug. 16.
First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead shortly afterward. An autopsy found no signs of trauma, while the official cause and manner of death remain pending further testing.
Vogel also questioned the timing of the 911 call, which was made at 1:51 p.m.
“It’s not the typical hour of the day that you are partying, generally speaking,” she said.
The investigation gained another major development Wednesday, with reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration has joined local authorities.
Narcan was reportedly found at the apartment, although there is no confirmation it was administered to Panettiere.
Panettiere was with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother when she died, according to a police report.
Authorities have not said that either man caused her death, and no foul play has been reported.
For now, the biggest question remains unanswered: What actually happened in the hours before Hayden’s death?
2026-08-20 11:06:00
