Hayden Panettiere had a welfare check right before her death
What's the story
A week before her untimely demise, Hollywood actor Hayden Panettiere was the subject of a welfare check at her West Hollywood home. The call to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department came on August 9 at around 10:00pm from someone who was worried about an unidentified woman in the residence who "was not answering the phone," reported Us Weekly.
Source revelation
Was Panettiere sick?
A source told Us Weekly that the call was regarding Panettiere, as she had "become unresponsive to many people in her circle and there was concern."
The report further revealed that upon the arrival of police, they were informed by an unidentified individual at the residence that the woman "was sick all day and did not feel good."
This person was later identified as Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend.
Phone dispute
'She informed a friend that Brian had taken her phone'
The source further claimed that "after being hospitalized a week before her passing," the Heroes alum "informed a friend who came to see her that Brian had taken her phone."
This incident adds another layer of complexity to the troubled relationship between Panettiere and Hickerson, who has previously confessed to being abusive toward Panettiere and has been arrested multiple times.
Past incidents
Police visited her home twice in 2025
The 911 service report also showed that police had visited Panettiere's LA home twice in 2025.
The first visit was on August 4, when officers were alerted about a white male trying to enter a unit on the third floor of the apartment complex.
By the time police arrived, this unidentified male had "left the location" but was seen going in and out of the building hours later.
Tragic end
Panettiere died from drug overdose
Panettiere died due to the toxic effects of multiple drugs, including fentanyl, at a South Carolina Airbnb on August 16.
Hickerson was present at the scene when she passed away.
As reported, Panettiere had secretly entered rehab weeks before her drug-related death.
She was reportedly keeping her friends "in the dark" about her relationship with Hickerson due to "shame."