Hayden Panettiere's Estranged Mom Says Family Was Trying to 'Get Rid' of Abusive Boyfriend Brian Hickerson in Scathing Statement After Actress' Death

Hayden Panettiere's estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, made a public statement regarding the Nashville star's recent passing.

The Heroes actress died in South Carolina on Sunday, August 16, at the age of 36 of an apparent overdose.

Vogel, 70, first bashed Panettiere's abusive on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who was with the former child star when she died.

“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,” the talent manager told NBC News.

"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," Vogel continued.

Hickerson and the Remember the Titans star started dating in 2018, and were on-off until her passing.

Panettiere was reportedly found unresponsive at a Greenville residence before an "acquaintance" called 911, according to dispatch audio. It's still unclear if Hickerson was the one who dialed the number.

According to NBC, Hickerson's brother, Zach, was also present at the scene and was "very emotional" while medical personnel attempted to resuscitate Panettiere.

However, Brian allegedly did not show emotion until the "Wake Up Call" singer was declared dead. Authorities claimed to the outlet the South Carolina native led officers toward a "bag of medication" she took shortly before the accident.

Brian was arrested several times over the years on charges such as domestic violence and felony assault.

After Brian was apprehended in 2020, the Ice Princess alum released a statement, saying: “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve. I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.”

A source told Page Six earlier this week that Panettiere kept some of her friends “in the dark” about reconnecting with Hickerson shortly before her death.

“If Brian was back in her life, then it was something she was hiding because she wasn’t speaking about it with many of her friends,” the insider noted.

“If you’ve gone through some dark times with people, and spoken about it, then there can be shame if you get back together with that same person,” they said. “So maybe that was why she hadn’t mentioned it to us.”