Wladimir Klitschko, the former fiancé of actress Hayden Panettiere, has filed an urgent petition in a Los Angeles County court seeking to become the temporary representative of their 11-year-old daughter’s estate.
The petition says the appointment is needed to protect Kaya’s inheritance after Panettiere’s death. Kaya is Panettiere’s sole heir and has lived with Klitschko in Ukraine for most of her life. Klitschko has had full custody of her, according to the filing.
Klitschko’s lawyers say federal agents seized some of Panettiere’s property during an investigation, while unnamed and unauthorised people have accessed her Los Angeles residence. The petition also alleges that valuables are missing and warns that property belonging to the estate could be lost, damaged or dissipated without an immediate appointment.
The filing says Klitschko’s sole intention is to protect his daughter’s future assets until a permanent administrator can be appointed. A hearing is scheduled for October 8.
The lawyers filed the petition on Thursday. It became publicly known on Monday after being reported by TMZ.
Panettiere, known for her roles in “Heroes” and “Nashville”, died on August 16 at the age of 36. A coroner’s report obtained by The Associated Press said her death was caused by an accidental overdose involving several drugs, including fentanyl. She was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina.
The petition says Panettiere and Klitschko had hired security for her home before her death after an unnamed person gained unauthorised access. It alleges that the same person was expected to continue trying to misappropriate property belonging to the estate.
Panettiere and Klitschko began dating in 2009 and became engaged in 2013. Their daughter was born in 2014 and went to live with Klitschko full-time when she was two.
Klitschko, 50, is a Ukrainian former world champion boxer and Olympic gold medallist who held several heavyweight titles between 2000 and 2015.
