Hayden Panettiere Death Investigation Now Involves Drug Enforcement Administration: Source

The sudden death of Hayden Panettiere is now being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ‘Nashville’ actress died on Sunday, Aug. 16, just days before her 37th birthday.

NEED TO KNOW

The DEA has joined Hayden Panettiere’s death investigation

A source tells PEOPLE that the Drug Enforcement Administration is now involved in the investigation into the death of the Nashville star

Panettiere died on Sunday, Aug. 16, at age 36

The Drug Enforcement Administration is now involved in Hayden Panettiere’s death investigation.

A source tells PEOPLE that the DEA has joined the investigation into the death of the Heroes actress, who died on Sunday, Aug. 16, in Greenville, S.C., just days before her 37th birthday.

The update in the investigation comes four days after a rep for the actress confirmed her death. An official cause of death for the actress has not been released.

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

The Greenville Police Department previously confirmed to PEOPLE that police and EMS responded to reports of an “unresponsive female” around 1:50 p.m. local time on Sunday. First responders administered “medical assistance” upon arrival, and a spokesperson for the department said Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene.

The police spokesperson also confirmed that a preliminary investigation had “not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.” Dispatch audio, obtained by PEOPLE, included officials discussing a possible “overdose” and “cardiac arrest” around the time of the emergency.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were identified as being at the residence when she went into cardiac arrest, per a police report. Brian allegedly showed responding officers a “bag of medication” Panettiere had been taking, according to the report, which also noted that authorities had surveillance footage showing the three “coming and going” from the location.

On Aug. 17, a source told PEOPLE that Narcan was found at the scene. Narcan is a treatment designed to rapidly reverse the effects of a life-threatening opioid emergency. Panettiere had previously been open about her struggles with addiction.

In an interview with NBC News, Panettiere’s estranged mother Lesley Vogel reacted to Hickerson being with her when she was found, calling him a “person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time.” “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,” Vogel told the outlet.

Hickerson has not responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

Related Stories

On Monday, Aug. 17, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office announced that an autopsy had been completed and showed “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.” Coroner Mike Ellis confirmed the “cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies” and that the investigation remained ongoing.

The corner also noted that first responders arrived at the scene and found Panettiere in “cardiac arrest,” before initiating “advanced cardiac life support measures.”

Panettiere’s dad Alan “Skip” Panettiere issued a statement after her death. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he wrote. “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.”

Panettiere’s body was released to the family on Tuesday night.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

Celebrity

Celebrity Deaths

Celebrity Death News