A California court has granted former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko temporary control over the property of his late ex-fiancée, actress Hayden Panettiere. The ruling, made by Judge Stephanie Santoro, is intended to protect Panettiere's estate for their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya.
The decision follows an urgent request submitted by Klitschko last week. His attorney, Diane Park, told the court that a non-relative had removed personal items after Panettiere’s death and attempted to sell jewelry at a pawn shop. Park also noted that assets risked being unaccounted for during a police probe and that Panettiere's taxes are due this month.
Klitschko, who has sole custody of Kaya and lives with her in Ukraine, attended the Los Angeles County court proceeding via videoconference alongside his daughter. Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, submitted a formal document consenting to Klitschko's appointment as temporary estate guardian.
Panettiere was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at age 36 on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina. A coroner’s report confirmed the cause of death was an accidental overdose involving multiple drugs, including fentanyl.