Former child actor Jansen Panettiere dies at 28

Child actor Jansen Panettiere and brother of actress Hayden Panettiere has died at 28. His cause of death is unknown and an investigation is currently underway, according to his sister’s representative.

Panettiere is best known for his acting roles in ‘Ice Age: The Meltdown,’ ‘Robots,’ ‘The Walking Dead,’ and ‘The Last Days of Summer.’

Although Panettiere was born in Palisades, New York, his death did not occur in New York City itself as confirmed by a representative for The New York City Police Department. According to TMZ, no foul play is suspected.

A source tells TMZ, that Jansen died over the weekend in New York. Law enforcement sources claim they got a call to a residence Sunday, February 19, at around 5:30 pm.

No other details about Panettiere’s passing are available at this time.

Remembering Panettiere’s career

Panettiere and his sister co-starred in the 2004 Disney Channel movie ‘Tiger Cruise’ and the 2012 film ‘The Forger,’ together.

Panettiere made his acting debut in an episode of the Disney Channel TV series ‘Even Stevens.’ He went on to appear in shows such as ‘Blue’s Clues,’ ‘Major Crimes,’ and ‘Everybody Hates Chris.’

He was nominated for a Young Artist Award for his lead role in ‘The Last Days of Summer.’ He also co-starred with Jamie Lee Curtis in ‘8,’ a reenactment of the Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial in 2012.

The ‘8′ performance was broadcast on YouTube to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights. His final on-screen role was ‘Robin’ in the 2022 movie ‘Love and Love Not.’

In recent years, Panettiere has been focusing on his art. He launched a clothing brand featuring his original artwork.

Panettiere’s Family

Panettiere was born to Lesley R. Vogel, a former soap opera actress, and Alan Lee “Skip” Panettiere, a fire department lieutenant. He has one sister, Hayden Panettiere, who is also an actress.

There has been no formal statement from Panettiere’s family as of yet.