Hayden Panettiere’s cause of death has been revealed more than a month after the 36-year-old actress was found unresponsive at a South Carolina Airbnb.
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol, and quetiapine. Her manner of death was ruled an accident.
A board-certified forensic pathologist performed an autopsy, which found “no signs of trauma” that would have contributed to her death.
While the cause of death has now been confirmed, there are still questions surrounding where the drugs came from.
© GettyWhat are the substances involved in Hayden Panettiere’s death?
The coroner’s office said Panettiere died from the toxic effects of five substances: fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol, and quetiapine.
Alprazolam is the generic name for Xanax, a prescription medication used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
Methocarbamol, also known as Robaxin, is a muscle relaxant, while quetiapine, or Seroquel, is a prescription medication that can be used to treat several conditions.
4-ANPP is a chemical used in the production of fentanyl.
Of the substances found in Panettiere’s system, ABC News reported that fentanyl is the one most associated with fatal overdoses.
What is fentanyl?
© Cappi ThompsonFentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is used medically to treat severe pain. It is also made illegally and has become a major cause of fatal overdoses in the U.S. According to the DEA, it has become the leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 18-45.
The CDC says pharmaceutical fentanyl is about 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.
Illicit fentanyl can be sold as a powder or pressed into counterfeit pills, and it can also be mixed into other drugs without someone knowing it is there.
That is one reason the source of the fentanyl is an important part of the investigation into Panettiere’s death.
What happens next in the investigation?
The Greenville City Police Department is leading the investigation into Panettiere’s death, with the DEA assisting. According to ABC News, the investigation is also looking at what happened before Panettiere arrived in South Carolina.
She flew from Los Angeles to South Carolina the day before her death, and sources told the outlet that investigators are looking into whether the fentanyl came from South Carolina or whether she brought it with her from California.
© Backgrid/The Grosby GroupSources previously told ABC News that investigators could be looking into street-level drug dealers who may have supplied drugs to Panettiere.
The DEA also searched Panettiere’s Los Angeles home on Aug. 25, nine days after her death, for evidence of illegal narcotics, PEOPLE previously reported.
What did Hayden Panettiere’s mom say?
© GettyWhile she was reportedly not invited to the celebration of life, Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, has been speaking out.
On Tuesday, she said the coroner’s ruling does not end the family’s search for answers.
“This journey is far from over,” Vogel said in a statement to ABC News. “The coroner’s report states ‘accidental cause of death from fentanyl,’ but in no way does this exonerate the supplier of this lethal dose.”
“Everything moving forward will be healing, but the mission is and will always be justice for Hayden,” she added.
Vogel has previously spoken about her daughter’s struggles with addiction and her efforts to get help over the years.
After Panettiere’s death, Vogel told ABC News that her daughter was “a fighter” and said she had been open about her addiction and numerous attempts at rehabilitation.
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