Hayden Panettiere’s Mom Breaks Silence, Calls Out Boyfriend Who Was “With Her at Her Death”
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Hayden Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, has spoken to NBC News for the first time since the actress's death, directly criticising her daughter's on-again-off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who was present when she died. Vogel said the family had "been trying to get rid of" Hickerson "for quite some time" and that Panettiere had "lost her way," attributing this partly to the pressures young people face growing up in the entertainment industry. Her comments add fresh detail and emotional weight to a case that has reopened scrutiny of Panettiere's history with Hickerson.
Panettiere, 36, died on Sunday at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, where police found her alongside Hickerson and his brother; the Greenville County Coroner's Office says she was found unresponsive with no obvious signs of trauma, and her cause and manner of death remain pending, though a 911 call reportedly referenced an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest". Panettiere previously detailed physical abuse by Hickerson in her memoir, and he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a partner, receiving a five-year protective order. Vogel said she would speak to a detective but had no further information, and confirmed she had taken a "no-contact" approach with her daughter in recent months on professional advice, following what she described as "20 years of trauma".
- Panettiere's mother blames boyfriend Brian Hickerson, present at her death
- Hickerson previously convicted of abusing Panettiere; had protective order
- Cause of death still pending; 911 call cited overdose and cardiac arrest
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Lesley Vogel is the mother of Hayden Panettiere, the American actress best known for roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville". Panettiere, 36, died on Sunday at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, where she was found unresponsive with no obvious signs of trauma; officials have not yet confirmed the cause or manner of death. Also present at the scene were her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother.
Hickerson has a documented history with Panettiere that predates her death. In her memoir, Panettiere wrote about being physically abused by him, and he later pleaded no contest to two felony domestic violence charges, which resulted in a five-year protective order being put in place. This background is why his presence at her death has drawn significant attention.
Vogel's recent comments to NBC News are her first public remarks since her daughter died. She has described trying to distance the family from Hickerson for some time, said Panettiere had struggled under the pressures of growing up in the entertainment industry, and explained that she had kept a "no-contact" approach with her daughter in recent months on professional advice, after what she called years of family trauma.
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