Former world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko has taken legal action to protect the inheritance of his 11-year-old daughter Kaia after the death of her mother, American actress Hayden Panettiere. The Ukrainian athlete has asked a Los Angeles court to appoint him as a temporary guardian of the child's property interests.
Kaia is the only child of Hayden Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko and, according to court documents, is the sole heir to the actress's estate. Since the girl is a minor, Klitschko is seeking legal authority to act on her behalf until a permanent administrator of the estate is appointed.
The petition was filed on September 24. In it, Wladimir Klitschko's lawyers describe the situation as “urgent and substantial“ and warn that some of Hayden Panettiere's property could be lost, damaged or scattered before an official representative takes control of the estate.
Klitschko reports missing jewelry, access to actress's home
The case is further complicated by the ongoing investigation into the death of the "Heroes" and "Nashville" star. According to the documents, federal agents have seized items from the actress's estate, and there is currently no official representative of the estate to guarantee their return once the investigation is complete.
Even more serious are the allegations about some of Panettiere's personal belongings. The petition states that people outside the family may have gained access to her emails, and some correspondence has been destroyed. Klitschko has also been informed that jewelry and other personal items are missing or unaccounted for. These allegations are part of the court petition and do not currently constitute facts finally established by the court.
According to the documents, even before her death, Hayden Panettiere had taken additional security measures due to unauthorized access to her property. It is the risk of new disappearances of belongings that is among the main arguments for Wladimir Klitschko to insist on the court's prompt intervention.
The hearing on the application is scheduled for October 8.
Hayden Panettiere died on August 16, 2026 at the age of 36, after she was found unconscious in a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. According to the medical examiner's conclusion, the cause was an accidental overdose with a combination of substances, including fentanyl. Toxicology results also found alprazolam, a muscle relaxant and other medications.
The American actress has been publicly speaking out for years about her addiction problems and the postpartum depression she experienced after giving birth to Kaia in 2014. She went through periods of treatment and rehabilitation, and her daughter subsequently moved in with her father.
After Hayden Panettiere's death, Wladimir Klitschko published an emotional message in which he said he would make sure Kaia remembered her mother, her talent and career. The boxer described Panettiere as an important part of his life and stressed that he would speak about her to their daughter with respect.
The love story of Hayden Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko
Hayden Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko began their relationship in 2009. After a breakup and subsequent reunion, the two became engaged in 2013, and in December 2014 their daughter Kaia was born.
The couple finally separated in 2018. Klitschko takes over the main care of the girl, who lives with him in Europe. Despite the end of their romantic relationship, the two maintain their relationship as parents. After the actress's death, the former boxer said that her loss had caused the family "deep shock and grief."
Wladimir Klitschko, 50, is an Olympic champion from Atlanta in 1996 and one of the most significant heavyweight figures of the 21st century. His older brother, Vitali Klitschko, also a former world boxing champion, is the mayor of Kiev.
Wladimir Klitschko's focus is now on the legal defense of Kaya. In court documents, his team emphasizes that the request for temporary status has a specific purpose: to allow him to represent the interests of his minor daughter and preserve the property she inherited from her mother until the court finally settles the administration of the estate.