JUST IN: Hayden Panettiere’s Mother Slams Star’s Boyfriend in First Public Comments Since Actress’s Shocking Death

FILE – Hayden Panettiere arrives at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 20, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

Hayden Panettiere’s mother lashed out at the actress’s boyfriend Tuesday in her first public remarks since the star’s stunning death at age 36.

Speaking to NBC News, Lesley Vogel slammed Brian Hickerson, who was present when Panettiere was found at the Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina Sunday night in apparent cardiac arrest, according to reports.

Vogel told the network: “this person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson.

“I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path,” she added.

Vogel also noted the timing of the Sunday afternoon 911 call about her daughter’s condition, saying it was “not the typical hour of the day that you are partying, generally speaking.”

The mom said expected to speak with a detective on the case and had “very little information as the investigation was ongoing.”

The death of the Heroes and Nashville star came just three years after Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 of an undiagnosed heart condition. He was 28.

The actress’s father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death to ABC News Sunday night in a statement calling his daughter “an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

Both the Greenville County Coroner’s Office and Greenville City Police Department are investigating Panettiere’s death, with the coroner confirming she had been treated for cardiac arrest.

“First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest,” the office said in a statement said. “EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM.”

“At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” the statement added. “The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time.”

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