South Carolina police close investigation and rule Hayden Panettiere's death as accidental

The Greenville Police Department in South Carolina announced on Wednesday the formal conclusion of the investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere. Local authorities officially determined that her death was accidental, closing the case after analyzing the evidence collected at the scene and the findings of the medical examiner's report.

The police ruling corroborates the information provided by the Greenville County Medical Examiner's Office, which had previously confirmed that the 36-year-old actress died from an accidental overdose of substances that included fentanyl. Medical analyses categorically ruled out any signs of violence or trauma on the actress's body.

Emergency responders were dispatched on the afternoon of August 16 to a residence in Greenville where the actress was staying. Despite the immediate administration of advanced cardiac life support by emergency personnel, Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police reports obtained by CBS News, the 911 call was made by Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's on-and-off partner, along with his brother Zach, who were at the property at the time of the incident.

The investigation involved local agencies and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which assessed the scene and the circumstances leading up to the incident. From the earliest stages of the investigation, authorities maintained that the preliminary inspection showed no signs of criminal activity or suspicious circumstances suggesting the involvement of third parties.

With the confirmation of the coroner's report and the final assessment by the Greenville Police Department, the case has been formally classified as an accidental death caused by drug intoxication, bringing the official investigation to a close.