Hayden Panettiere's Family Supports Ex's Move to Secure Daughter's Inheritance
Relatives of the late actress endorse Wladimir Klitschko's legal efforts to manage her estate for their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya.
Hayden Panettiere's family members have voiced their support for her former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, in his legal bid to secure guardianship of their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, and manage the late actress's estate for the child.
Sources close to Panettiere's family told TMZ that they are grateful for Klitschko's actions, viewing his filing in a California court as a "legal formality." They described Klitschko, 50, as a "great father."
Klitschko's filing stated that while Kaya is not a California resident, the court has jurisdiction over her estate's guardianship because she is entitled to the assets from Panettiere's probate administration in the state. He is seeking to be the sole individual authorized to receive, manage, and hold these assets on Kaya's behalf.
The move comes approximately six weeks after Panettiere's death at age 36 on August 16. Authorities reported her passing in Greenville, South Carolina, was due to an accidental drug overdose involving fentanyl.
Klitschko was granted full legal custody of Kaya in 2018 when Panettiere, who battled postpartum depression, was experiencing difficulties. Kaya currently resides with Klitschko in Ukraine.
According to the court documents, Panettiere had previously engaged a security company that changed the locks on her home, citing concerns about unauthorized access to her property. Klitschko also noted that storage units containing her designer clothing and accessories had been relocated as a precautionary measure.
Klitschko, a former Olympic gold medalist boxer, emphasized the urgency of being granted guardianship, stating it is "essential" to have sole access to the late star's belongings to secure assets for their daughter. He informed the court that some of Panettiere's possessions had been seized by authorities during the investigation into her death, and no one had yet been appointed to oversee the property.
"It is essential that an Administrator of Hayden's Estate be appointed to marshal the missing assets and interface with law enforcement," Klitschko stated. He warned that "without an immediate appointment for these purposes, there is a high probability that property belonging to Hayden’s Estate may be lost, damaged or dissipated before a duly appointed personal representative can be in place to protect it."
The court is scheduled to hear the matter on October 8.
Panettiere and Klitschko first met in 2009, dated for a few years, broke up in 2011, and then reunited in 2013. They welcomed Kaya in 2014 before separating again in 2018.
The Greenville County Coroner's Office confirmed that Panettiere's cause of death was ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine, with the manner of death classified as an accident. At the time of her death, Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother were present. Authorities stated that Brian Hickerson provided them with a bag of medication belonging to Panettiere. Hickerson's lawyer stated in August that his client was cooperating with the investigation and that no signs of foul play were found by police.