Three former female child actors of the same generation died within twelve months: Hayden Panettiere at 36 on August 16, Michelle Trachtenberg at 39 in February 2025, and Daveigh Chase at 35 in June. Melissa Gilbert, 62, cited that count in a Substack post demanding systemic change for child performers.
Trachtenberg's death was attributed to complications from diabetes mellitus. Chase's cause was listed as AIDS by the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's office. Panettiere, known for "Heroes" and "Nashville," died in Greenville, South Carolina. Preliminary autopsy results found no signs of trauma contributing to her death, and the Drug Enforcement Administration is assisting the investigation. Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the time of her death, per a police report.
| Name | Age | Period | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Trachtenberg | 39 | February 2025 | Diabetes mellitus complications |
| Daveigh Chase | 35 | June | AIDS (LA Medical Examiner) |
| Hayden Panettiere | 36 | August 16 | Under investigation; no trauma found |
Gilbert, the "Little House on the Prairie" star, said she did not know Panettiere personally and worked only briefly with Trachtenberg and Chase. She grouped them under a term she coined: the "Female Former Child Performers." When a member dies, she wrote, "it runs through all of us like an electrical current." She called for "real substantive change" and named a combination of factors, among them cell phones and their effect on mental health.
The Busfield case
Gilbert's public plea comes as her husband, Timothy Busfield, the "Thirtysomething" actor, 68, awaits trial on multiple counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. Two boys accused Busfield of abuse on the set of the production "The Cleaning Lady." A doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted police November 1, 2024. Busfield surrendered January 13 and was held without bail. He entered a not guilty plea in February and waived pretrial proceedings, per New Mexico court records. His attorney, Larry Stein, said the case "cannot be proven at trial."
Gilbert closed with a reference to Panettiere's daughter Kaya, eleven years old, the same age Gilbert was when her own father died. She wrote: "I am now weeping as I type this," adding that she wanted to "scream from the rooftops, ENOUGH!"