Hayden Panettiere’s family is supporting Wladimir Klitschko’s bid for legal guardianship of their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, saying they believe he is a devoted father with her best interests at heart.
Klitschko, Panettiere’s former fiancé, has applied for greater authority to make decisions on Kaya’s behalf and to oversee matters connected with the actress’s estate, which the family says Kaya is due to inherit.
People close to the family regard the court application as a legal formality. They said: “Wlad is a great father and we are grateful.”
Panettiere and Klitschko continued to co-parent after ending their relationship. Klitschko obtained full custody of Kaya in 2018 while Panettiere was struggling with postpartum depression, and Kaya has since lived with him in his native Ukraine.
The guardianship filing follows years of public concern about Panettiere’s struggles with addiction, according to the documents.
In the application, Klitschko says Panettiere had hired a security service before her death after a documented concern that someone had gained unauthorised access to her property. He does not identify the individual in the filing.
He also says the locks were changed after her death and that storage units containing designer clothing and accessories worn at public appearances were moved as a precaution.
Legal guardianship would give Klitschko sole access to Panettiere’s property. Those close to the family said he also wanted to protect Kaya’s interests in the United States because he lives outside the country.
