Klitschko's guardianship filing for Hayden Panettiere's daughter receives family support

Wladimir Klitschko, the former heavyweight champion, filed a petition in Los Angeles to be appointed temporary guardian of the estate of his 11-year-old daughter Kaya, the sole heir to the late actress Hayden Panettiere's assets. The filing, made Thursday, seeks authority to receive, manage and hold the inheritance on Kaya's behalf while a personal representative is not yet in place.

Sources close to the family told reporters that Panettiere's relatives fully support the legal step, describing it as a routine measure to safeguard the child's U.S. assets while Klitschko resides in Ukraine.

"Wlad is a great father, and we are grateful," one insider said.

Klitschko said the appointment is "urgent and essential" because no personal representative is currently acting for Panettiere's interests. He also alleged that property belonging to the estate, including jewelry, has gone missing and that emails were accessed and destroyed by a non-family individual. The filing notes that security services had been hired before Panettiere's death due to concerns about unauthorized access, and that locks were changed and storage units with designer clothing were relocated as a precaution.

Legal representatives for Klitschko have not responded to requests for comment. Panettiere died on Aug. 16 at age 36 from an overdose, and Kaya is entitled to the entirety of her mother's estate. The couple had a long-running relationship, welcomed Kaya in 2010, and Klitschko obtained full custody after their 2018 separation.