Hayden Panettiere's Earrings Held by Cops After Her Separated Parents Fight Over Where To Send Them

Hayden Panettiere's earrings are being held by authorities following the actress' death after her separated parents, Lesley Vogel and Alan 'Skip' Panettiere, reportedly disagreed over where the jewellery should be sent.

The unusual dispute emerged from personal belongings removed from Panettiere's body during her autopsy, with authorities continuing to hold the earrings rather than releasing them to either parent.

The development comes as further details about Panettiere's death have emerged, including the coroner's determination that she died from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and several other drugs.

Parents' Dispute Over Panettiere's Earrings

According to the Greenville County coroner's report obtained by Page Six, Panettiere was wearing 'stud type earrings' when she died, and the jewellery was removed from her body during the autopsy.

The earrings were placed in a sealed purple plastic bag and logged as personal property. The report stated that a senior deputy contacted Panettiere's parents after the autopsy was completed, informing them that the items had been removed from her body.

'Both parties were informed of personal property that was removed from the decedent during autopsy, which was logged into the property and evidence section of this report,' the document stated.

It added: 'The property was placed in the Senior Deputy's locker for safekeeping on this same date.'

Both Vogel and Skip reportedly wanted the earrings, but they disagreed over where they should be sent. One parent wanted them mailed to North Carolina, while the other wanted them sent to California.

As neither parent agreed on how the personal effects should be handled, the report stated: 'Both parties were informed that until they could reach an agreement regarding the decedent's personal effects that they would not be released.'

The earrings therefore remained in the custody of authorities rather than being released to either parent. The disagreement does not indicate that either parent has been accused of wrongdoing and concerns the handling of Panettiere's personal belongings following her death.

Panettiere's Separated Parents

Vogel and Skip separated in 2008 and later divorced, with their divorce finalised in 2016. Vogel is a former actress, while Skip is a former New York City fire captain. Both remained part of Panettiere's family life.

The disagreement comes as Panettiere's family handles arrangements following her death at 36. Her death came three years after her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died aged 28 in February 2023 from an enlarged heart and complications involving his aortic valve.

Panettiere was best known for playing Claire Bennet in Heroes and Juliette Barnes in Nashville. She also appeared in films including Remember the Titans and Scream 4 and voiced Kairi in the Kingdom Hearts video game series.

Hayden Panettiere's Cause Of Death

Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on 16 August. Her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were reported to be at the property.

The Greenville County Coroner's Office later determined that Panettiere died from an accidental overdose involving several drugs, including fentanyl.

Alprazolam, the muscle relaxant methocarbamol, and quetiapine, a drug used to treat conditions including major depression, were also found in her system, according to the coroner's office. Blue pressed pills and a straw were found in the apartment, with the items later testing positive for fentanyl.

Panettiere had previously spoken publicly about addiction and mental health struggles. Her memoir, This Is Me, also addressed her experiences with addiction, motherhood and the pressures of early fame.

The reported dispute over her earrings is separate from the coroner's findings about her death, with the jewellery issue centred on who should receive her personal belongings.