A friend discovered Hayden Panettiere lifeless inside a residence in South Carolina on Sunday afternoon, with emergency dispatchers logging the incident as an “unresponsive female” experiencing “cardiac arrest,” according to law enforcement sources.
The emergency call was placed at 1.51pm local time, with the caller reporting that the 36-year-old actress appeared to have no pulse and was suffering heart-related distress.
Audio from the 911 recording has since emerged, in which a female dispatcher can be heard describing the situation as a cardiac arrest.
Shortly afterwards, a male worker on the call allegedly referenced a suspected overdose, the Daily Mail reports.
Hayden Panettiere, known for roles in the Scream franchise and Heroes, died on Sunday night | REUTERS
Paramedics and police officers from Greenville arrived swiftly at the scene and immediately began efforts to revive the former child star.
Medical teams administered what has been described as “advanced cardiac life support,” a protocol that goes beyond standard CPR by incorporating specialist medications, intubation equipment, and cardiac rhythm monitoring devices.
Chest compressions were also carried out on Ms Panettiere, but none of the interventions proved successful.
She was officially declared dead at 2.32pm, roughly 40 minutes after the initial call was made.
Greenville Police Department confirmed the death in a statement provided to local broadcaster WYFF4: “Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
“The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
“The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call.”
Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the person who rang the emergency services. It remains unknown whether Brian Hickerson, Panettiere’s on-and-off partner, was the one who made the call.
PICTURED: Hayden Panettiere at the Met Gala in 2014 | REUTERS
Reports indicate the couple had flown from Los Angeles to the southern state just the day before, on Saturday August 15, meaning they had been in the area for only a matter of hours before the tragedy unfolded.
The Greenville County coroner was scheduled to conduct a post-mortem examination on Monday to establish the official cause and manner of death.
In the days leading up to her passing, Ms Panettiere had reportedly been experiencing back pain.
The Heroes and Nashville star had also been dealing with a longer-term health complaint over the preceding year, and was recently filmed appearing to walk with some difficulty.
Speaking to Women’s Health in May, she described a frightening episode: “I quite literally woke up and felt nothing but pins and needles from my waist down.
“I wasn’t able to bend my toes or lift my foot at all. No one was able to give me a solid answer.”
Whether this condition bore any connection to her death has not been established.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed the devastating news through a statement issued via ABC News.
“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,” he said.
Ms Panettiere rose to fame as a child performer before securing prominent roles in the NBC series Heroes, the ABC drama Nashville, and films including Remember the Titans, Raising Helen, and Scream 4. She was 36 years old and a mother of one.