Hayden Panettiere Was Found Unresponsive in Chair by Boyfriend Brian Hickerson's Brother: Source

Hayden Panettiere was found unresponsive by her boyfriend Brian Hickerson's brother as her partner slept in another room, sources claim.

Brian's brother Zach Hickerson reportedly discovered Hayden in a chair in the living room when he entered the Greenville, S.C., apartment on Sunday, August 16, sources told TMZ.

As OK! previously reported, emergency services responded to a call around 1:50 p.m. about an "unidentified female" in "cardiac arrest" following a suspected overdose.

Though first responders attempted life-saving measures, the Nashville star was pronounced dead at the scene less than an hour later.

While her official cause of death remains pending further investigation, TMZ reported Narcan – a nasal spray designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose – was found at the scene and was allegedly used to treat Hayden or someone else.

TMZ previously reported that Hayden and Brian traveled from Los Angeles to the "south," which was later identified as South Carolina, only one day before her death on August 15.

The Heroes star was known to have a tumultuous relationship with Brian, whom she dated on and off from 2018 to 2022. Their romance was marred by allegations of domestic violence and abuse, with him being arrested numerous times.

Page Six reported that the actress reconnected with Brian about two weeks before her death. They were reportedly in California for about a week before they traveled to South Carolina.

"He was supposed to leave, but somehow, they ended up on a flight to South Carolina, where he is from,” the source told the outlet, adding, "Things did not appear romantic."

A separate insider claimed that Hayden's inner circle wasn't aware of her recent reunion with her ex-boyfriend, telling the outlet, "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."

Hayden's estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, spoke out on her daughter's passing and didn't mince her words when bashing her former partner.

"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 on Tuesday, August 18. "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."