Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, is speaking publicly about her concern over the actress’ on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who was with Panettiere when she was found dead at age 36.
“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, who was estranged from the star, told NBC News.
According to a police report, Hickerson and his brother Zach were with Panettiere in South Carolina when she died. Her official cause of death has not been released. Vogel said she and Panettiere’s father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, had worried about Hickerson for years.
Hayden Panettiere’s on and off again boyfriend Brian Hickerson laughs as he tells TMZ reporter that he did in fact beat & abuse Hayden Panettiere.
— B. Wilkins lll (@ScummyMummy511) August 17, 2026
Remember we still don’t know the full story of her death so this is all speculation.
We don’t know if Brian Hickerson was involved… https://t.co/ME3zL8ZCn2 pic.twitter.com/fbytHyXJRT
“There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him,” she said.
His relationship with Panettiere had a troubled history. Hickerson was arrested on domestic violence-related charges in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a partner connected to the 2020 arrest and received jail time, probation and domestic violence classes. Other charges were dropped, and the 2019 case was dismissed.
Hollywood wasn't only person that failed Hayden. Her mother did too. #RIP pic.twitter.com/DIft5FA6OC
— K E M P I R E (@TheKempire) August 18, 2026
Panettiere later described that chapter of her life as “a very dark and complicated time in my life” while discussing her struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction.
Vogel, who was estranged from her daughter before her death, said she now hopes Panettiere is “with her brother and they’re at peace.”