Lesley Vogel breaks her silence on her daughter’s passing, shares grief over losing two children.
Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, has given her first public interview following the actress’s sudden death at age 36 . The former soap opera actress, who also served as her daughter’s manager during childhood, spoke with NBC News about her grief, her concerns about Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, and the complicated relationship they shared before her passing .
Vogel, 70, expressed deep sorrow over losing her daughter, calling her an “amazingly talented person” who struggled with the pressures of growing up in Hollywood .
“I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path,” Vogel said in the interview .
“I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
Panettiere’s Mother Blames Boyfriend Brian Hickerson
Vogel did not hold back when discussing Brian Hickerson, who was present at the apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, when Panettiere died . Hickerson and his brother Zach were inside the Judson Mill Lofts apartment complex when the actress suffered a suspected heart attack on August 16 .
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson,” Vogel told NBC News .
“There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him and frankly, his family,” she added .
Panettiere and Hickerson had a turbulent relationship history. She filed a restraining order against him in 2020 around the time their romantic relationship appeared to end . Hickerson had previously been convicted of domestic violence charges related to Panettiere .
Details Emerge About Panettiere’s Final Moments
According to a heavily redacted police report from the Greenville Police Department, officers responded to a 911 call at approximately 1:51 PM on August 16 . The caller reported an unresponsive female in cardiac arrest at the Judson Mill Lofts apartment complex .
First responders performed CPR on Panettiere, but she was pronounced dead at 2:32 PM . An autopsy completed on August 17 found “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death” . The cause and manner of death are still pending further investigation, including toxicology testing .
Police confirmed there were “no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances” . The Greenville County Coroner’s Office is continuing its investigation .
A responding officer noted in the report that Brian Hickerson did not show emotion until Panettiere was declared dead, while his brother Zach was “very emotional” as paramedics performed CPR . Hickerson allegedly showed police a “bag of medication” that Panettiere had been taking at the time of her death .
911 dispatch audio described the situation as a possible overdose, and sources told TMZ that Narcan—a nasal medication used to treat opioid overdoses—was found at the scene .
Vogel expressed concern about the timing of the 911 call, noting it was made in the early afternoon.
“It’s questionable because that is not the typical hour of the day that you are partying, generally speaking. That is a concern,” she told NBC News .
A Mother-Daughter Relationship Strained by Hollywood
Panettiere had been open about her strained relationship with her mother in the months before her death. In her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” released in May 2026, the actress detailed how her mother managed her career from childhood and how the lines between their professional and personal relationship became blurred .
In a May appearance on the podcast “On Purpose with Jay Shetty,” Panettiere recalled telling her mother at age 19 that she wanted to end their professional relationship to rebuild their bond as mother and daughter .
“Everything was business,” Panettiere said. “I became the confidant and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child” .
Panettiere said her mother responded to her request by saying, “You owe me.” She later came to believe her mother was referring to money .
“She didn’t pursue a relationship with me as just a mother and daughter. The fact that it seemed like she didn’t want to — didn’t care to — have a relationship with me was a tough pill to swallow,” Panettiere told Us Weekly in May .
Following the release of Panettiere’s memoir, Vogel responded to Page Six, saying she believed “the present drama is partially to sell books” . She also confirmed their estrangement, explaining that she had chosen a no-contact route after “20 years of trauma” .
“As many parents of entertainment children [know], we are all too familiar with the painful observation of watching the self-destructive paths they sometimes choose. No parent hopes for this scenario; we want our children to be the best of themselves and live a peaceful, joyful life!” Vogel said in her May statement to Page Six .
Vogel told NBC News that she had not had a real conversation with her daughter since October 2025, though they had exchanged some texts .
“That was a choice I made for very specific reasons, and you know, certainly not for lack of care, concern, love,” she said .
Grieving Two Children
Panettiere’s death comes just three years after her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly at age 28 in 2023 from cardiomegaly and aortic valve complications .
Vogel spoke emotionally about losing both of her children.
“I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace,” Vogel said in the interview .
Panettiere had spoken about her brother’s death during a 2024 appearance on the TODAY show, saying, “When you lose somebody that you saw in all the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world” .
Related:
Panettiere’s Legacy and Ongoing Investigation
Panettiere rose to fame as a child actor, appearing in commercials at just 11 months old and starring in soap operas at age 4. She had breakout roles in “Remember the Titans” (2000) and as cheerleader Claire Bennet in the hit TV series “Heroes” (2006-2010) . She also starred as Juliette Barnes in the country music drama “Nashville” .
In recent years, Panettiere had been candid about her struggles with addiction, postpartum depression, and the challenges of being a child star. She entered treatment in 2020 for an eight-month stay and had spoken about her sobriety .
She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko .
The Greenville Police Department and Coroner’s Office continue to investigate the exact cause of Panettiere’s death. No official determination has been made, and toxicology results are pending .
Also Read: Wladimir Klitschko Breaks Silence on Hayden Panettiere’s Death: ‘She Left This World Far Too Soon’
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