Watch: Hayden Panettiere Privately Entered Rehab Weeks Before Her Death
Wladimir Klitschko is taking steps to protect his and Hayden Panettiere’s daughter.
Over a month after the Heroes actress tragically died at the age of 36, her ex filed for temporary guardianship of their 11-year-old Kaya, saying he did so to ensure their daughter gains ownership of her late mother’s estate.
In court documents filed Sept. 24 and obtained by E! News, Klitschko’s legal team emphasized that it is “urgent and essential” that Panettiere’s ex be appointed as his daughter’s guardian to ensure he has the eligibility to file a probate petition for her estate.
“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 filing reads. “This directly and adversely affects Kaya, as she is the sole heir entitled to the entirety of Hayden’s probate estate.”
Klitschko’s lawyers argue in the filing that without his immediate appointment as Kaya’s guardian, no one is able “to marshal, protect and account for the assets” of Panettiere’s estate.”
And considering the ongoing investigation into the Remember the Titans star’s death—which was ruled earlier this month to be accidental due to toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine, per the Greenville County Coroner’s Office—Klitschko’s filing also expressed concern over federal agents’ treatment of Panettiere’s personal items amid their investigation, as well as concern for “an individual” who appeared to have access to Panettiere’s home prior to her death.
“Locks to Hayden’s Home were changed by the security service following Hayden’s death, and storage units containing designer clothing and accessories worn to public appearances have been relocated as a precaution,” the filing added. “Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expected that the individual will continue to try and misappropriate property belonging to Hayden’s Estate.”
Franziska Krug/Getty Images
A hearing regarding Klitschko’s status as Kaya’s guardian has been set for December 7, 2026, per the filing. E! News has reached out to attorneys for Klitschko but has not yet heard back.
Klitschko—who previously dated Panettiere on-and-off from 2009 to 2018—received full custody of Kaya in 2018 and called the Ice Princess alum “an important part” of his and his daughter’s life in a statement following her death.
“To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was,” Klitschko wrote in a statement he shared to social media Aug. 18. “I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.”
For a deeper look into the events surrounding Panettiere’s death and the investigation, keep reading…
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
