The Greenville County Coroner’s Office has officially determined what caused the death of actress Hayden Panettiere.

Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine, according to the coroner’s announcement Tuesday.

Her death was ruled an accident. The autopsy also found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death.

The 36-year-old actress was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16.

A local reporter shared the coroner’s complete cause-of-death list and confirmed that the ruling was accidental.

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The Associated Press reported that the coroner identified fentanyl and 4-ANPP, a chemical associated with fentanyl, along with three prescription drugs in Panettiere’s system. Alprazolam is an anti-anxiety medication, methocarbamol is a muscle relaxer and quetiapine is used to treat several serious mental-health conditions.

The coroner’s initial release did not provide further details from the autopsy. It did make two findings clear: the combined toxic effects caused Panettiere’s death, and the manner of death was accidental.

Emergency crews performed CPR and other advanced resuscitation efforts for more than 40 minutes before Panettiere was pronounced dead. Authorities found no trauma that would have contributed to her death.

Another same-day report laid out what each substance is and repeated the coroner’s finding that there was no contributing trauma.

A publicist for Panettiere’s family told the AP that the investigation remains ongoing and the case is complex. Greenville police likewise said their investigation is continuing despite the coroner’s official ruling.

A week before Tuesday’s announcement, reports focused on the possibility that Panettiere had taken a pill containing fentanyl.

The Gateway Pundit noted that earlier law-enforcement sourcing had pointed to a suspected oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl. Tuesday’s official cause-of-death announcement listed fentanyl and the other substances, but it did not list oxycodone or publicly establish how the drugs entered Panettiere’s system.

The outlet also traced the timeline back to the emergency call reporting an unresponsive woman in cardiac arrest. Panettiere had traveled from Los Angeles to South Carolina shortly before her death.

The official ruling therefore confirms the role of fentanyl while leaving the wider police investigation open. Any determination about who supplied the drugs or whether a particular pill was involved belongs to that continuing investigation.

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Authorities are now looking beyond the toxicology finding as they try to determine where the drugs came from.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid many times more potent than morphine. Illegally manufactured fentanyl is often mixed into other drugs, and a person may not know it is present.

That danger has made fentanyl one of the deadliest forces in America’s drug crisis. A tiny amount can be fatal, especially when combined with other substances that depress the central nervous system.

Panettiere became famous as a child actress and appeared in Remember the Titans before starring in Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise.

She had also spoken publicly about addiction, depression and the pressures she faced after entering the entertainment industry at a young age.

Panettiere left behind her daughter, Kaya. She died five days before what would have been her 37th birthday.

Her death is a heartbreaking loss for her family, her friends and the millions of people who watched her grow up on screen.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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