Klitschko Gains Guardianship of Daughter's Estate in LA

A Los Angeles judge has granted Wladimir Klitschko, former fiancé of the late actress Hayden Panettiere, temporary guardianship of the estate inherited by their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya. The ruling came after Klitschko expressed concerns about the estate's preservation and alleged attempts by individuals outside Panettiere's family to profit from her death.

Panettiere, known for her roles in television and film, died Aug. 16 from an accidental overdose. Kaya is the sole heir to Panettiere's multimillion-dollar fortune. Panettiere had previously relinquished custody of Kaya to Klitschko in 2018.

Klitschko and Kaya appeared virtually before the court Thursday for the hearing. The judge also authorized Klitschko to sign and pay Panettiere's state and federal income tax returns, which are due in approximately one week. A decision on permanent guardianship of the estate is scheduled for December.

This development follows a recent supplement Klitschko filed to his September guardianship petition. In the filing, Klitschko claimed a non-family member sold some of Panettiere's possessions, including jewelry, to a pawn shop. Klitschko's attorneys asked the court to grant him the power to initiate law enforcement investigations into the recovery of Panettiere's property believed to have been misappropriated.

Investigators are examining the source and supplier of the illicit drugs that contributed to Panettiere's death. The coroner's office identified the substances as fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol, and quetiapine.