In mid-August, the American entertainment world was stunned by the news of the death of actress Hayden Panettiere, who was only 36 years old. She was well known for the series Heroes and Nashville, but she had been working in film and television since she was 5 years old. She had grown up in front of viewers, like many other child actresses, some of whom have also met a grim fate. Besides Panettiere, in the last year three other former child actresses have died: Michelle Trachtenberg, aged 39; Sophie Nyweide, 24, and Daveigh Chase, 35. In all cases, the deaths occurred after years of struggling with addictions and various psychological problems. Another constant in most cases is difficult relationships with parents, especially when one of them is involved in their children's careers.

American actress Hayden Panettiere died this Sunday at the age of 36, according to sources close to her confirmed to People magazine. The family has not reported the cause of death and has requested privacy while the circumstances are investigated. American media, however, detail that according to recordings from the health services that attended her at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, Panattiere would have suffered an overdose and cardiac arrest. Nevertheless, the preliminary police investigation rules out that the death is due to "suspicious circumstances".