Court Appoints Wladimir Klitschko Temporary Guardian of Hayden Panettiere’s Estate for Daughter

A California court on Thursday gave Wladimir Klitschko temporary authority to protect the estate of his late ex‑partner Hayden Panettiere for their 11‑year‑old daughter Kaya. Klitschko, the 50‑year‑old Ukrainian former heavyweight champion, filed an urgent petition after saying federal agents and an unnamed non‑relative were taking pieces of Panettiere’s property and trying to sell her jewelry at a Los Angeles pawn shop. Judge Stephanie Santoro approved his request, naming him temporary guardian of Kaya’s estate until a permanent administrator is appointed. Klitschko and his daughter appeared via videoconference; only Kaya was visible on camera. His lawyer Diane Park explained that the court’s authority is needed to deal with the pawn‑shop owner, police agencies, and to file Panettiere’s taxes, which are due this month. The petition filed on Sept. 24 warned that the estate’s assets could be lost, damaged or dissipated. Panettiere, 36, was pronounced dead on Aug. 16 in Greenville, South Carolina, after paramedics found her unresponsive. A coroner’s report said an accidental overdose of several drugs, including fentanyl, caused her death. She had been in rehab weeks earlier, and her on‑and‑off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were present at the home. Lesley Vogel, Panettiere’s mother, consented to Klitschko’s appointment. The filing also noted that security had been hired before Panettiere’s death after an unauthorized person accessed her home, and the same threat was expected to persist. ## Context Klitschko has full custody of Kaya, who has lived with him in Ukraine since she was two, and the court’s move aims to keep her inheritance safe while the investigation continues.