Hayden Panettiere’s mother addresses Brian Hickerson
Panettiere’s estranged mother, indicated to NBC News that the actress’ family did not approve of her rekindled relationship with Brian Hickerson.
Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, is disputing the account of her daughter’s final hours given by Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson.
In an hourlong Aug. 22 interview with the Daily Mail, Vogel said Hickerson’s version of events about what happened before her daughter was found unresponsive was “full of holes.” Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive Aug. 16 at a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment complex and was later pronounced dead.
A police report obtained by USA TODAY identified Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, as the callers.
Police have said preliminary findings showed no signs of foul play. Her cause and manner of death remain pending as the Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Coroner’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration continue to investigate.
USA TODAY reached out to both Brian Hickerson’s attorney, Sloan Ellis, and Lesley’s representative for comment. Ellis’s office had no further comment.
‘What do you think of Brian Hickerson?’
Vogel said she raised her concerns with law enforcement at the scene. She told the Daily Mail that when she asked an officer whether there would be a further investigation, the officer responded, “Well, what do you think of Brian Hickerson?”
According to Vogel, Brian Hickerson told police that Panettiere was doing her makeup at the Airbnb at about 10:30 a.m. before he left to get something. Vogel said he later returned, took a nap, and did not tell police that he had seen or spoken with the “Nashville” star before his brother arrived.
Vogel said Brian Hickerson told police that Zach Hickerson later knocked at the door; Brian Hickerson answered, and Panettiere was then found unresponsive.
Speaking to TMZ on Aug. 21, Zach Hickerson said Brian Hickerson and the actress were napping on the pull-out couch in the living room, where they attempted to wake her. When they realized she was unconscious, Zach Hickerson said he placed the 911 call, obtained by Reuters, while Brian Hickerson administered Narcan to Panettiere.
They proceeded to perform CPR until medics arrived, Zach Hickerson told TMZ.
According to a redacted police report obtained by USA TODAY, Zach Hickerson was “very emotional” when emergency personnel arrived to perform life-saving efforts on the “This Is Me: A Reckoning” author while Brian Hickerson “did not become emotional until EMS declared her deceased.”
Vogel questioned the reported timeline and claimed Brian Hickerson’s account had unexplained gaps, including the presence of Narcan and his claim that he was asleep.
“I don’t know how you can take a nap near someone who’s dying and not realize something’s wrong. How do you do that?” Vogel told the Daily Mail. “When the EMTs came, it was for a cardiac arrest. People in cardiac arrest aren’t just lying still. They make noise.”
Authorities have not accused anyone of any crime or wrongdoing.
Contributing: Anika Reed, Sameen Chaudhry, Liza Esquibias, Taijuan Moorman and Edward Segarra, USA TODAY