Hayden Panettiere’s Mother Criticizes Brian Hickerson Following Actress’s Death

Lesley Vogel, the estranged mother of actress Hayden Panettiere, has publicly criticized Brian Hickerson, Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, in connection with her daughter’s recent passing on August 16. In a statement to NBC News on August 18, Vogel stated, “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death,” referring specifically to Hickerson.

Continuing her remarks, Vogel, 70, praised her daughter’s talent but expressed concern about the challenges young individuals face in the entertainment industry. “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments,” she noted. “I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry—it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.”

E! News has attempted to contact Hickerson’s attorney for further comment but has yet to receive a response. According to a police report from the Greenville Police Department, both Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were present at the South Carolina apartment complex when authorities arrived to respond to Panettiere’s cardiac arrest.

Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Eonline