Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson releases first statement since her death

Hayden Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson has addressed her death for the first time since she died.

His attorney, Sloan Ellis, told TMZ on Thursday, Aug. 20, that the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death remain under investigation and urged people to allow authorities to complete their work.

“Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Ellis said.

The statement comes after Hickerson was identified as being at the South Carolina residence when Panettiere was found unresponsive. His brother, Zach, was also at the scene, according to a police report obtained by PEOPLE.

According to the report, Zach appeared visibly emotional while emergency responders attempted to revive Panettiere. The responding officer said Hickerson did not appear visibly emotional during the initial lifesaving efforts and became emotional after Panettiere was pronounced dead.

The report also states that Hickerson showed officers a bag containing medications Panettiere had been taking. The names of the medications were redacted from the report.

Authorities have not accused Hickerson of causing Panettiere’s death. Her autopsy reportedly found no signs of trauma, and authorities have said there were no immediate signs of foul play. 

Hickerson and Panettiere had a turbulent relationship that began in 2018. Panettiere previously accused him of domestic abuse, and he pleaded no contest to two felony charges related to incidents involving the actress in 2021. He served jail time and was subject to a five-year protective order. Panettiere later spoke about their relationship and her decision to forgive him.

Despite their history, the pair remained connected in the years before Panettiere’s death.

Neutrogena issue

Neutrogena, meanwhile, has faced criticism over its alleged treatment of Panettiere during her time as a brand ambassador.

Panettiere worked with Neutrogena for about a decade, beginning in 2005. In her memoir and subsequent interviews, she recalled how the relationship deteriorated after she publicly discussed experiencing postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.

Panettiere said the skincare brand decided not to renew her contract allegedly after she spoke about her postpartum depression during a 2015 television appearance. She believed the decision was connected to a morality clause in her contract and said she was hurt that no one from the company reached out to her during that difficult period.

Her comments resurfaced following her death, prompting criticism of Neutrogena on social media. Some users accused the company of abandoning Panettiere after she spoke openly about her mental health struggles, while others called for a boycott of the brand.

In an Instagram post, Neutrogena addressed the backlash on Thursday, Aug. 20, expressing condolences to Panettiere’s loved ones and acknowledging that its past actions made her feel unsupported.

“We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing,” the company said in a statement. “For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community. We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time.”

“This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be,” the company added.

Neutrogena also said it plans to make a “significant investment” in women’s health initiatives, including efforts to improve support for women experiencing postpartum depression.

Panettiere had previously been open about her struggles with postpartum depression and addiction. In her memoir, she also discussed the challenges she faced as a young mother and her decision to seek treatment.

The actress was best known for playing cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s Heroes and country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville. She also appeared in the Scream film franchise and Remember the Titans.

She died on Sunday, Aug. 16, at age 36 after she was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Emergency responders attempted to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.