Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, is speaking out about their estrangement in the wake of the actress’ shocking death.
“Although my daughter and I were estranged, it was not for lack of care or love,” Vogel, 70, said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight on Thursday, August 20. “It was due to the involvement of a toxic individual who I believe led to her death.”
Vogel did not name the “toxic individual” whom she was referring to in her statement.
“Hayden was a beautiful and talented young woman who unfortunately became involved with the wrong person, and although her family tried to extricate him from her life, were unable to be successful,” she wrote. “I hope all remember Hayden for the beautiful human being inside her and her gift to the world from her time on this earth. My heart is with you, Hayden.”
The message was signed, “Mama.”
News broke on Sunday, August 16, that Panettiere died at age 36. She is survived by her parents and her daughter, Kaya, whom she welcomed with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Hayden’s father, Skip Panettiere, told Us in a statement. “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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
A cause of death has not been confirmed at this time, though an autopsy showed “no signs of trauma” that could have contributed. (Authorities mentioned an “overdose” and “cardiac arrest” around the time of her death in dispatch audio obtained by People.)
A police report obtained by Us subsequently shared that Hayden’s on-again, off-again ex Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the apartment complex where the actress was found on the day she died.
Authorities said Brian provided a “bag of medication” that Hayden was “currently on.” The incident report claims that life-saving measures were performed on Hayden for “an extended amount of time” before she was pronounced dead.
Police have since been spotted outside of Brian’s family home for an unknown reason. He spoke out on Thursday via his lawyer for the first time since the actress’ death.
“Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Brian’s attorney Sloan Ellis told TMZ. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”
Vogel, for her part, previously slammed Brian in a statement on Tuesday, August 18.
“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 told NBC News. “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.”
