Hayden Panettiere’s family breaks silence over ex’s legal bid to protect $8 million inheritance
Hayden Panettiere’s family reportedly support her ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko in his legal move to secure the inheritance of daughter Kaya, who he shares with the late actress.
Sources close to the late Hero star’s family are “grateful” for Klitschko, 50, in his efforts to be named guardian of 11-year-old daughter Kaya’s estate while she remains a minor, TMZ reports.
The actress shares daughter Kaya, now 11, with Wladimir Klitschko. X/@haydenpanettier
“Wlad is a great father,” the sources told the publication.
They added that Klitschko’s move to “receive, manage and hold” his daughter’s assets on her behalf was seen as “a legal formality”.
Klitschko had worried that Panettiere’s estate may be “lost, damaged or dissipated” without an appointed representative, multiple outlets report.
The former professional boxer filed the paperwork in Los Angeles on Thursday (Friday AEST), after the actress passed away at age 16 on August 19.
According to court documents obtained by Page Six, the request had been placed as “urgent and essential” that Klitschko be appointed the temporary guardian of Kaya’s estate.
At the time of her passing, Panettiere had a multi-million dollar net worth estimated between $8.5 million to $14 million.
Klitschko said Kaya, who lives in Ukraine with her father, “is entitled to the entirety” of the late Nashville star’s assets, the outlet states.
He noted there was currently no personal representative appointed to protect Panettiere’s home and contents.
Late actress Hayden Panettiere pictured with mum Leslie, late brother Jansen and dad Skip in 2007. Getty
The urgent request came as investigations surrounding the late Ice Princess star’s death continued.
Klitschko “believes” federal agents had reportedly entered Panettiere’s Los Angeles residence and “removed property” belonging to the estate, as per the court papers.
Panettiere died on August 16 after being found unresponsive at a property in Greenville, South Carolina.
Panettiere and Klitschko dated on-and-off for nine years from 2009. John Shearer/Getty Images
On September 24, the star’s official cause of death was listed as an “accident” caused by “the toxic effects” of multiple drugs including fentanyl.
Panettiere and Klitschko dated on-and-off from 2009 to 2018.
That same year, she signed over full custody of Kaya to Klitschko, amid her battle with postpartum depression, alcoholism and addiction.
Her former fiancé remembers Panettiere as “an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.”
