Ready to set the record straight, Hayden Panettiere’s mom, Lesley Vogel, addressed the estrangement she had with the late actress at the time of her death.
Videos by Suggest
In a statement to Entertainment Tonight, Vogel shared, “Although my daughter and I were estranged, it was not for lack of care or love. It was due to a toxic individual who I believed led to her death.”
The former soap opera actress then spoke about her daughter and the struggles her daughter has faced in recent years. “Hayden was a beautiful and talented young woman who unfortunately became involved with the wrong person,” Vogel stated. “And although her family tried to extricate him from her life, we were unable to be successful.”
“I hope all remember Hayden for the beautiful human being inside her and her gift to the world from her time on this world,” Vogel added. “My heart is with you, Hayden. Mama.”
Panettiere suddenly passed away just days before her 37th birthday. She and Vogel had reportedly been estranged since 2025.
Just before the release of Panettiere’s memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Vogel confirmed the estrangement.
“The present drama is partially to sell books,” she told Page Six about what Panettiere wrote about her in the book. “There is a personality ‘style’ which manifests as a need for control, entitlement, and a lack of empathy. The major fear is that someone will see through the mask they present to the world and discover who they truthfully are.”
Vogel Says a Narcotics Investigator Has Joined the Investigation into Panettiere’s Death
Meanwhile, Vogel revealed to Entertainment Tonight that a narcotics investigator has joined the investigation into Panettiere’s sudden death.
“It leads me to believe there are still questions surrounding what happened,” she explained. “And I think we are all looking for answers.”
Law enforcement was called to a rental in Greenville, South Carolina, at around 1:30 pm on August 16. Panettiere had been discovered unresponsive and seemingly suffering from a cardiac arrest. Although first responders performed extensive cardiac life support measures to bring her back, Panettiere was declared dead at 2:32 pm
It was later revealed that Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend, Bryan Hickerson, and his brother, Zack, were at the scene.
Bryan was previously charged with domestic violence against Panettiere.