Actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in "Heroes," "Nashville," and the "Scream" franchise, has died at the age of 36.
According to USA TODAY, Greenville Police Department officers, accompanied by emergency medical personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, police confirmed to Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Panettiere, was pronounced dead, according to police.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was 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," her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement. Her father asked for privacy "as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."
Panettiere's death comes months after her candid memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning" was released, in which she chronicled how childhood fame and battles with drug addiction heavily impacted her life. She also detailed how the traumatic birth of her daughter in 2014 and postpartum depression led to an addiction to alcohol.
She had seen a resurgence over the last year, between promoting her memoir and new acting projects. Her last film was "Sleepwalker," a psychological thriller released earlier this year.
Hayden Panettiere's last public Florida appearance was in March
While Panettiere doesn't have a major connection to Florida, her final public appearance in the Sunshine State left an impact. She was one of the featured guests at "Scraradise," a horror and pop culture convention that was held in Tampa from Feb. 27 through March 1.
Watch Hayden Panettiere's appearance on 'Scream 4' panel
What was Hayden Panettiere's cause of death?
As of 9:30 a.m., Aug. 16, a cause of death has not been released.
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, theme parks, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hayden Panettiere appeared at Florida fan convention months before death
