"I think Hayden sadly lost her way": Hayden's mum breaks silence after tragedy
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Lesley Vogel, estranged mother of the late Hayden Panettiere, broke her silence after the actress was found dead in South Carolina at age 36
- Vogel singled out Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who was present at the time of her death, expressing long-held concerns about his influence
- Before her death, Panettiere had spoken openly about her fractured relationship with her mother, including in her 2026 memoir released just months earlier
Lesley Vogel, the estranged mother of the late Hayden Panettiere, has broken her silence following the actress's sudden death at 36, pointing the finger at her daughter's boyfriend and reflecting on a deeply troubled mother-daughter bond.
Panettiere's father, Alan Panettiere, confirmed his daughter's passing in a statement released on Sunday, describing her as:
"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."
Vogel's concerns over Brian Hickerson
Speaking to NBC News on August, 18 Vogel disclosed that Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, 37, was present when her daughter was found dead in South Carolina, and she did not hide her feelings about him.
"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," she said, adding that both her and Panettiere's father had been worried about Hickerson's influence for years.
Hickerson was present alongside his brother Zach at the time, according to a police report.
Dispatch audio from the scene reportedly captured officials discussing an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest," though an official cause of death has not yet been released. Hickerson has not responded to requests for comment.
According to People, Hickerson has a troubled history with law enforcement. He faced multiple arrests, including two for domestic violence in 2019 and 2020.
In 2021, he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a partner and was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of formal probation, 52 domestic violence classes and a five-year protective order, ultimately serving 13 days behind bars.
Panettiere later described that period as "a very dark and complicated time" in her life, during which she battled addiction to alcohol and opioids.
Was the actress and her mum estranged?
The public back-and-forth between Vogel and Panettiere had been simmering for months before the actress's death.
In her May 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere wrote candidly about a childhood in which her mother served as both parent and manager, leaving her feeling more like a colleague than a daughter.
She recalled telling Vogel at age 19 that she wanted to separate their professional relationship, to which Vogel allegedly replied:
"You owe me."
Vogel pushed back against the memoir's claims at the time, calling the public narrative "partially to sell books," and confirmed their estrangement, saying she had gone no-contact after "20 years of trauma."
In her NBC News interview, Vogel reflected on the broader challenges of raising children in the entertainment industry.
"I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different," she said.
She also shared that she found comfort in believing her daughter was now at peace alongside her brother Jansen, who died unexpectedly at 28 in 2023.
What did Panettiere's ex say?
We also highlighted facts about the tragic passing of Panettiere, a talented actress known for her roles in Nashville and Heroes, who died at the age of 36 in South Carolina.
Wladimir Klitschko, her ex-partner, expressed profound grief and a promise to their daughter, Kaya, ensuring her mother's memory remains cherished despite the struggles Panettiere faced in her life.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.