Hayden Panettiere's Remains Released by Coroner, Transferred to Mortuary

Hayden Panettiere's remains have been released from a South Carolina coroner's office -- and are now in the hands of her family, TMZ has learned.

A rep for the Greenville Coroner's Office tells TMZ ... the actress' body was transferred Tuesday night to a mortuary chosen by Hayden's family. The coroner's rep would not disclose the mortuary's name, leaving that up to the discretion of the family.

As we reported ... the family was notified Tuesday that Hayden's remains were ready for release after she had died from a possible drug overdose.  

According to a police report, obtained by TMZ, Hayden's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach, were present inside the Greenville apartment after Hayden's possible OD on Sunday. 

Docs say Zach and Brian called 911 ... and our sources say Zach is the one who found Hayden, while Brian was initially asleep in a separate room.

Police said Hayden was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner's office says it's awaiting the results of toxicology tests before releasing Hayden's cause and manner of death.