After Hayden Panettiere's Death, Mother Breaks Silence, Names Brian Hickerson

On August 16, at a residence in South Carolina, paramedics were called in for what was reported as a "suspected overdose"—one of the last known details in the final chapter of "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere's life. Her father, Skip, later confirmed his daughter's passing at age 36, calling her "an incredible light and a source of endless love and joy for everyone who knew her." An official cause of death has yet to be released.

The one who truly broke the silence was her mother, Lesley Vogel. Long estranged from her daughter, this marked her first public statement since Panettiere's death, given to NBC News on Tuesday, August 18. The person she named was Panettiere's ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson—who was reportedly present at the time of her death.

"The person that we tried to get away from her, that has been in her life for so long, was there when she passed, and that's Brian Hickerson," Vogel said. "There were so many times that Brian enabled certain behaviors in Hayden, which is why her dad and I have had concerns about him for a long time."

These concerns weren't unfounded. Panettiere accused Hickerson of domestic abuse in her memoir, and Hickerson himself admitted to it in a TMZ interview back in May. Vogel's statement, in a way, brings a private wound back into public scrutiny.

Turning to her daughter, Vogel's tone grew somber: "I think Hayden was a very talented person in a lot of ways, and kids that grow up in this business—it's a tough, challenging industry—it's not uncommon for them to unfortunately go down the wrong path."

Panettiere was best known for her role as Claire Bennet in "Heroes," and later appeared in "Nashville" and the "Scream" franchise. Following her death, tributes poured in from across the industry. Her "Heroes" co-star Sendhil Ramamurthy recalled that she always looked out for extras who were "treated poorly" and "remembered the name of everyone on set."

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you can seek help by calling the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at 0808 2000 247 (UK helpline).