South Carolina police have closed the investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere after determining she died of an accidental drug overdose, Greenville police said Wednesday.
“Based on (the coroner’s Based on the office’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death was ruled accidental. The Greenville Police Department has concluded its investigation,” the police department said in an email to CNN.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office ruled Panettiere’s death an accident last month, but investigators were looking into whether the 36-year-old obtained illicit and possibly counterfeit drugs from a Southern California dealer.
Panettiere, who starred in the TV shows “Heroes” and “Nashville,” was pronounced dead in a Greenville apartment on Aug. 16.
The actress died from a toxic mix of the opioid fentanyl and other drugs, authorities said in September.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the investigation into Panettiere’s death, and CNN asked the agency if its investigation remains open.
Sgt. Diana Munoz, a spokeswoman for the Greenville Police Department, told CNN she could not say whether another agency was still investigating the death.
Panettiere was found in cardiac arrest and doctors were unable to revive her. She was found in the Airbnb apartment, sitting with her legs crossed and her face down, according to a coroner’s report obtained by CNN.
Two men – later identified by police as Panettiere’s boyfriend and her brother – discovered her on a sofa bed. Panettiere was purple, according to the coroner’s report. A man gave her two doses of Narcan and called 911 after she remained unconscious.
One of the men said he didn’t know Panettiere had been using illegal drugs in recent days, but “she was very good at hiding them,” according to the coroner’s report.
The actress had publicly shared her struggles with early fame and battles with mental health and substance abuse.
This year, Panettiere addressed the challenges in a memoir and spoke publicly about the loss of her brother.
His career was also making a comeback, with the release of his latest film in January.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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