Hayden Panettiere's rep condemns 'disrespectful' gossip after her death

Hayden Panettiere's representative has hit out at gossip following the actress's death, describing it as "disrespectful".

In a statement, the Heroes star's rep urged fans to be respectful and stop speculating about the circumstances surrounding her tragic death on 16 August.

"Many people who were not close to Hayden are using her death as an opportunity to fuel gossip and speculation about a situation they knew very little about," they said in a statement to Us Weekly. "It is deeply disrespectful to her memory and to those who knew and loved her and are actively grieving this tremendous loss."

"If you have legitimate information that could be helpful, please contact law enforcement rather than turning to social media to speculate publicly about something you do not fully understand," the statement continued.

"There is much more to this story than what is currently being discussed publicly, and those closest to Hayden are actively cooperating with the ongoing investigation to help ensure that the truth comes to light and that justice is properly served."

The Nashville star's death at the age of 36 was announced on 16 August, after paramedics responded to a 911 call regarding a cardiac arrest. They performed CPR, but their resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

Panettiere's on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were present when she died, and Zach recently alleged to TMZ that Brian gave her Narcan, a nasal spray designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, after finding her unresponsive.

Panettiere's cause and manner of death are currently under investigation, although police officials have said there were "no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances".