Hayden Panettiere‘s mother, Lesley Vogel, is casting doubt on Brian Hickerson‘s account of events surrounding the actress’ death. Hickerson, who was with Panettiere in South Carolina when she died, allegedly gave authorities a statement that Vogel believes leaves out crucial information.
Vogel’s latest comments come after she previously said she had been trying to remove a “toxic individual” from Panettiere’s life for some time.
4On August 16, Hayden Panettiere was discovered in cardiac arrest at an apartment in South Carolina, with police reports stating that her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were present at the scene when emergency responders arrived.
The actress’ preliminary autopsy results showed no foul play or trauma, but her official cause and manner of death have yet to be determined, pending the results of additional testing.
Now, Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, is casting doubt on Brian Hickerson’s account of what happened. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Vogel said she has questions about Hickerson’s statement.
Hickerson allegedly told authorities, per Vogel, that he left the apartment around 10:30 a.m., saw the actress putting on makeup, then took a nap when he returned. He did not mention seeing or talking to Panettiere when he returned. He was awakened by the sound of his brother’s knocking, and that’s when they found the actress unresponsive.
Hayden Panettiere’s Mother Believes There Are Gaps In The Story
4Vogel believes there’s more to the story, noting the presence of Narcan, a fast-acting medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
The police report noted that Hickerson showed them a bag of medication Panettiere was taking, and Narcan was discovered at the scene.
Vogel isn’t convinced that Hickerson just found her daughter unresponsive. “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? When the EMTs came, it was for a cardiac arrest. People in cardiac arrest aren’t just lying still. They make noise,” Vogel told the outlet.
“I think Brian called his brother. My opinion. I think he knew she was deceased. Called his brother, and tried and built this story,” Vogel alleges.
It should be noted that Hickerson has not been accused of any wrongdoing surrounding Panettiere’s death.
Brian Hickerson’s Brother Offers His Account Of Events
Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson gave her Narcan after he and his brother Zach Hickerson found her unconscious the day she died … at least according to Zach.
Zach tells TMZ … “Brian gave her Narcan.” pic.twitter.com/t5sfd8ycLf
— TMZ (@TMZ) August 21, 2026
Zach offered his version of events amid online chatter surrounding Panettiere’s death. According to him, he planned to grab lunch and play indoor golf with Hickerson and the actress but didn’t get a response from either after trying to contact them, per The Blast.
He headed to the apartment and knocked on the door, which woke up Hickerson. They then attempted to wake Panettiere, but she was unconscious.
“I immediately called 911, and Brian gave her Narcan. We then jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived. At that point we watched as they tried every measure possible to save her life,” Zach said.
He also urged people to stop spreading speculation and sensationalizing Panettiere’s death, asking them to wait for the facts of the investigation to emerge.
Lesley Vogel Says Hayden Panettiere And Brian Hickerson Had A ‘Codependent Bond’
4In her first statement since her daughter’s passing, Vogel called out Hickerson, saying, “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 the Daily Mail that Panettiere and Hickerson had a “codependent bond” that she described as “much more powerful than people realized.”
The two began dating in 2018 and separated following Hickerson’s arrest following a domestic violence incident that involved the actress in 2020. Reports say, however, that the couple had been in an on-and-off relationship despite a five-year restraining order that remained effective until April 2026.
Brian Hickerson’s Statement Following Hayden Panettiere’s Death
4Hickerson broke his silence days after Panettiere’s death, but only released a statement via his lawyer, Sloane Ellis.
“Hayden’s death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Ellis said, noting that authorities confirmed there was no evidence of foul play. “Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time,” the statement read.
According to reports, it may take between eight and 12 weeks for Panettiere’s official autopsy results to be finalized.