Hayden Panettiere died of accidental fentanyl overdose, coroner confirms

The Greenville County Coroner's Office has confirmed that actor Hayden Panettiere died from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and several other drugs. She was 36.

Panettiere was found unresponsive in South Carolina on 16 August. The coroner's finding, which attributes the death to a mix of substances led by the synthetic opioid fentanyl, closes the question of how the actor died.

The ruling classifies the death as accidental, a determination that distinguishes an unintended overdose from other manners of death. No further details on the specific combination of drugs or the circumstances of the discovery were provided in the confirmation.

Panettiere, who began acting as a child, was known to audiences for roles across film and television spanning more than two decades. Her death on 16 August drew widespread attention, and the coroner's statement now provides the official account of its cause.

Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, has been a recurring factor in overdose deaths in the United States, frequently appearing in combination with other substances. The coroner's office has not indicated any additional investigation into the matter beyond its findings.