Hayden Panettiere's ex drags into murder case over shocking allegations

Brian Hickerson reportedly wanted to start a family with Hayden Panettiere, but sources claim the actress had serious reservations about another pregnancy.

According to Rob Shutter, Hickerson was pushing Panettiere to have a child with him despite knowing about the difficult period she experienced after welcoming her daughter, Kaya.

“Brian wasn’t casually talking about someday becoming a father — he was pushing Hayden to have a baby with him,” a source claimed. 

“She understood exactly what another pregnancy could potentially mean for her emotionally, and she wasn’t convinced it was something she wanted to risk.”

Panettiere previously faced postpartum depression following Kaya’s birth, alongside addiction struggles and a period of treatment. 

Kaya ultimately went to live with her father, Wladimir Klitschko.

Sources also claim people close to Panettiere questioned Hickerson’s financial situation and what having a child could mean for their relationship.

“Brian was struggling financially, so people absolutely questioned his motives,” an insider alleged. 

“A baby wouldn’t just make them parents — it would connect him to Hayden for the rest of his life. That raised alarm bells.”

The source added that Panettiere understood the risks based on her past.

“Hayden knew how badly things had gone after Kaya,” the source said. 

“She had lived through postpartum depression, addiction and the heartbreak of being separated from her daughter. Brian wanted a baby. Hayden understood the possible consequences. That was the tension between them.”

Panettiere and Hickerson had a troubled relationship. She described the relationship as abusive in her memoir, while Hickerson pleaded no contest in 2021 to two felony counts involving injury to her and served jail time.

With Hickerson reportedly present when Panettiere died, questions surrounding their complicated history are likely to continue. 

The claims about his alleged pressure for a child remain unverified.