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Hayden Panettiere death: Police say 'no signs of foul play' as investigation continues

Heroes and Nashville actress Hayden Panettiere was found dead in her home in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday aged 36

[ Actress Hayden Panettiere attends the 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on January 17, 2016 in Santa Monica, California.]

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The cause of the actress' death still remains unclear.(Image: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Police have confirmed there were "no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances" surrounding the death of Heroes and Nashville actress Hayden Panettiere.

Police have said there were "no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances" in the death of Hayden Panettiere, the Heroes and Nashville actress who was found unresponsive at her home in Greenville, South Carolina

Panettiere, 36, was discovered on Sunday (August 16) after officers responded to a 911 call made by an acquaintance. Emergency crews attempted to revive her at the Judson Mill Lofts complex, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement, Greenville Police confirmed that the initial inquiry had revealed nothing to suggest criminal involvement, with the investigation now continuing alongside the county coroner.

[Two women sit on a couch and look sad]

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Nashville was one of Hayden Panettiere's big TV hits(Image: GETTY)

"Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The case is under investigation by the Greenville police department in conjunction with the Greenville county coroner's office.

"The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms Panettiere placed the 911 call."

A spokesperson for the actress confirmed her passing, stating that her family would cherish her memory as an "incredible light" who brought "immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her". A statement from Panettiere's father Skip said: "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 also requested that the family be granted privacy as they "take time to process this unimaginable loss".

[Two women look scared ]

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Hayden Panettiere joined the teen horror franchise Scream after Heroes(Image: MIRAMAX)

The 36 year old embarked on her acting career as a child, featuring in soap operas before achieving broader recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember The Titans alongside Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar's 1998 film A Bug's Life.

Panettiere subsequently shot to fame portraying cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes, before going on to star as aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes across six seasons of the hugely popular TV series Nashville.

Her performances in Nashville earned her two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress, while her vocals on the show generated 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Panettiere's film credits include 2006's Bring It On: All Or Nothing, the comedy-drama Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.

Following her meteoric rise to stardom, the demands of the industry began to take their toll on Panettiere with the actress having previously disclosed that she had battled addiction throughout her 20s. In a memoir released earlier this year, Panettiere spoke candidly about her battles with mental health, the death of her younger brother, Jansen, and her choice to grant full custody of her daughter Kaya to her ex-partner, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018.

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"The idea that anyone would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking and couldn't be further from the truth," she told podcaster Jay Shetty following the publication of her memoir in May.

Panettiere revealed her daughter had been living with her father full-time from an early age while the actress grappled with addiction and mental health issues.

She said: "I was struggling with mental health and anxiety, and the postpartum and having to act my way through it and just feeling like I completely lost myself."

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