Wladimir Klitschko, the former fiancé of Hayden Panettiere, has taken what he describes as an “urgent” legal step to safeguard their daughter Kaya’s inheritance, following concerns that the late actress’s belongings and estate could be at risk.
Panettiere died at the age of 36 on August 16 at a home in Greenville, South Carolina. Authorities determined that her death was accidental and resulted from the “toxic effects” of several drugs, including fentanyl.
Her only surviving child is Kaya, 11, whom she welcomed during her nine-year relationship with the former heavyweight boxing champion, now 50.
When Kaya was three, Panettiere transferred full custody to Klitschko while dealing with postpartum depression and addiction. He later moved their daughter to his native Ukraine.
Klitschko filed a petition in Los Angeles last week seeking temporary guardianship of Kaya’s estate. The move is intended to protect her inheritance as the reported sole beneficiary of Panettiere’s estimated $6 million estate, while also helping ensure the actress’s personal possessions are recovered after the investigation into her death.
The filing obtained by Our News Outlet states: “Kaya is a U.S. citizen, residing abroad with her father, Wladimir. Hayden, a U.S. citizen and resident of California, died intestate on August 16, 2026.”
The petition adds: “Although Kaya is not a resident of California, this Court has jurisdiction over the guardianship of Kaya’s estate because, as such heir, Kaya is entitled to the entirety of the assets subject to Hayden’s probate administration in California.”
Hayden Panettiere’s former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko has requested temporary guardianship of their daughter Kaya’s estate, citing concerns about the safety of the late actress’s property, pictured together in 2011
Panettiere gave Klitschko full custody of Kaya in 2018, when their daughter was three, amid the actress’s struggles with postpartum depression and addiction. Klitschko subsequently moved Kaya to Ukraine
According to the documents, the filing would allow Wladimir to “receive, manage and hold, on Kaya’s behalf, the assets to which Kaya is entitled from Hayden’s probate estate.”
Klitschko also said that no personal representative has yet been appointed to protect the interests of Panettiere’s estate.
The petition claims that extra security precautions had been taken at Panettiere’s home before her death after an unidentified person allegedly “gained unauthorized access to Hayden’s property.”
The locks were replaced, and documents say storage units holding designer clothing and accessories that Panettiere wore at public appearances were moved as a precaution.
“Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expected that the individual will continue to try and misappropriate property belonging to Hayden’s Estate,” the petition states.
The filing further says Klitschko was told that several personal items belonging to Panettiere, including jewelry, had either vanished or could not be accounted for.
“Some items are currently in the custody of law enforcement in connection with the ongoing investigation. It is essential that an Administrator of Hayden’s Estate be appointed to marshal the missing assets and interface with law enforcement.”
The documents also allege that federal agents entered Panettiere’s home as part of the investigation and removed some of her property.
Klitschko filed for temporary guardianship of Kaya’s estate last week, seeking to protect her inheritance as Panettiere’s reported sole beneficiary and help recover the actress’s possessions following the investigation into her death
The filing says Klitschko was informed that personal belongings, including jewelry, had disappeared or remained unaccounted for, pictured in 2010
“It is urgent and essential that Wladimir be immediately appointed Temporary Guardian of Kaya’s Estate, to afford Wladimir the necessary standing to file Hayden’s Probate Petition, and the power to nominate a proposed Administrator of Hayden’s Estate,” the documents state.
‘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.’
Our News Outlet has contacted representatives for Wladimir Klitschko and Hayden Panettiere for comment.
The former couple met at a book launch in 2009. After two years of dating, they split up in 2011, before rekindling their relationship two years later.
In October 2013, they were engaged, with the actress giving birth to their daughter, Kaya, the following December. However, it was confirmed in 2018 that the couple had split again but remained on amicable terms.
Later that year, Panettiere announced she had made the ‘difficult decision’ to sign full custody of Kaya to her ex.
The widely discussed move came after Panettiere fell into a deep depression, which she said made her ‘feel nothing’, and led to her ‘turning to wine’ and ultimately being sent to rehab for both depression and substance abuse.
Her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when Panettiere was pronounced dead – pictured 2018
In her final interview in May, she spoke to Dear Mome about her choice, saying: ‘It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, nor was it a decision I even wanted to make. I was going through a really challenging time in my life.’
Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas, then gained wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar’s 1998 film A Bug’s Life.
Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.
She earned two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress on the show, while her singing produced 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Panettiere’s film credits include 2006’s Bring It On: All or Nothing, the comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
Last week, Panettiere’s cause of death was confirmed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
A spokesman told Our News Outlet: ‘The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine. The manner of death has been ruled accident.
Panettiere is remembered for her role as Claire Bennet on the hit NBC series Heroes
She played Juliette Barnes on the ABC show Nashville, releasing a number of her own songs
‘This case is administratively closed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.’
Methocarbamol is a prescription muscle relaxant used to treat short-term muscle pain, while Quetiapine, commonly known by the brand name Seroquel, is an antipsychotic prescription medication used to treat conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.
Alprazolam, known as Xanax, is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders and 4-ANPP is a chemical used as a main building block to make illegal fentanyl.
Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when Panettiere was pronounced dead. An investigation into her death is ongoing.
