Officers told Hayden Panettiere in 'cardiac arrest', police investigating actress's death say

Officers responded to a call made by an acquaintance reporting that US actress Hayden Panettiere was "unresponsive" and in "cardiac arrest", police have said.

Panettiere, best known for her roles in TV series Heroes and Nashville, died on Sunday aged 36. She was found in her home by police in Greenville, South Carolina.

There were "no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances" relating to the actress, police said.

A post-mortem examination found that "no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death".

The cause and manner of death have not been confirmed.

A statement from Greenville police department said: "On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1.51pm, officers from the Greenville police department, accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female at Judson Mill Lofts, located at 701 Easley Bridge Road.

"Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene."

Police said the case is under investigation by the Greenville police department in conjunction with the Greenville county coroner's office.

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A statement from Panettiere's father Skip said: "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.

"She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her - and to the millions who watched her onscreen."

The 36-year-old began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas. She appeared in 75 episodes of superhero series Heroes between 2006 and 2010.

Her performances in Nashville earned her two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress. Eleven songs she recorded for the show entered the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Panettiere's film credits include 2006's Bring It On: All Or Nothing, comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI, playing Kirby Reed.

The actress previously revealed that she struggled with addiction throughout her 20s.

In a memoir published earlier this year, Panettiere opened up about her mental health struggles, the loss of her younger brother, Jansen, and her decision to give full custody of her daughter Kaya to her former partner, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018.

"The idea that anyone would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking and couldn't be further from the truth," she told podcaster Jay Shetty after the release of her memoir in May.

Panettiere said her daughter had lived with her father full-time from a young age amid the actress's mental health and addiction struggles.

She said: "I was struggling with mental health and anxiety, and the postpartum and having to act my way through it and just feeling like I completely lost myself."

(c) Sky News 2026: Officers told Hayden Panettiere in 'cardiac arrest', police investigating actress's death say