Hayden Panettiere’s ex files urgent petition to protect daughter Kaya’s inheritance after death

Wladimir Klitschko has filed an urgent petition seeking temporary guardianship of the estate of his 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, following the death of her mother, actress Hayden Panettiere.

According to court documents filed on September 24, Klitschko is asking a Los Angeles court to allow him to act as Kaya’s temporary representative and protect the assets she is expected to inherit from Panettiere’s estate. Kaya is the sole beneficiary of her mother’s estate.

The petition describes the request as “urgent and essential”, arguing that Panettiere’s property could potentially be lost, damaged or dissipated before a permanent representative is appointed. Klitschko is seeking authority to receive, manage and preserve the assets on his daughter’s behalf.

Klitschko also raised concerns about access to Panettiere’s property. The filing alleges that non-family members previously connected to the actress may have accessed and destroyed some of her emails, while certain personal belongings, including jewellery, have allegedly disappeared or remain unaccounted for. These are allegations contained in the court filing and have not been independently established.

The petition further states that federal agents have taken some of Panettiere’s property as part of an ongoing investigation. Klitschko wants to be able to deal with authorities regarding those items and ensure that property belonging to his daughter’s inheritance is preserved.

Klitschko and Panettiere began dating in 2008 and became engaged in 2013. They welcomed Kaya in 2014 and separated in 2018. Klitschko has had full custody of their daughter since their split.

Panettiere died on August 16, 2026, at the age of 36. Her death was ruled accidental, with the coroner citing the toxic effects of multiple substances. A hearing on Klitschko’s petition is scheduled for October 8.