Hayden Panettiere's daughter Kaya has made a rare appearance at a court hearing alongside her father, Wladimir Klitschko, following her mother's death.
The 11-year-old joined remotely on Thursday, October 8, briefly appearing on camera to confirm her identity and that her father was with her. Wladimir remained off camera during that exchange.
The hearing marked a significant step in the former boxer's efforts to protect the inheritance of his only child with the late actress.
© InstagramWladimir Klitschko granted authority to protect Kaya's inheritance
Judge Stephanie Santoro granted Wladimir temporary guardianship of Kaya's estate, giving him legal authority to safeguard her financial interests while arrangements for administering Hayden's estate continue.
Kaya is her mother's sole heir. The proceedings concern her inheritance, rather than a change to her living arrangements or custody.
The judge said Kaya would not need to attend the next hearing, which is scheduled for December 7. Hayden, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, died on August 16, aged 36, in Greenville, South Carolina.
© Getty ImagesConcerns over Hayden Panettiere's belongings
The court appearance follows concerns raised by Wladimir about the whereabouts of some of Hayden's possessions.
In a supplemental filing, the former heavyweight champion alleged that a person outside the family had sold belongings believed to include jewellery to a pawn shop. He sought authority to help recover property on his daughter's behalf. These remain allegations made in the estate proceedings.
His earlier petition, filed on September 24, argued that someone needed to act promptly to protect assets before a personal representative could take responsibility for Hayden's estate.
According to the filing, security precautions had already included changing the locks at her home and moving stored clothing and accessories. Wladimir also sought the ability to request the return of belongings held by investigators once they were no longer needed.
© YouTube/On Purpose"It is urgent and essential that Wladimir be immediately appointed temporary guardian of Kaya's estate, to afford Wladimir the necessary standing to file Hayden's probate petition, and the power to nominate a proposed administrator of Hayden's Estate," the filing read.
"Without an immediate appointment for these purposes, there is a high probability that property belonging to Hayden's Estate may be lost, damaged or dissipated before a duly appointed personal representative can be in place to protect it," it continued. "This directly and adversely affects Kaya, as she is the sole heir entitled to the entirety of Hayden's probate estate."
Hayden Panettiere's relationship with daughter Kaya
Hayden and Wladimir became engaged in 2013 and welcomed Kaya in December 2014. They separated in 2018, with their daughter subsequently living primarily with her father.
Hayden later spoke openly about how painful it had been to live apart from Kaya while addressing her own health struggles.
During a May 2026 appearance on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast, she explained that, after her recovery, she had been reluctant to uproot her daughter from the settled life she had built.
© Getty ImagesHer account emphasised the difficulty of balancing her longing to have Kaya close with what she believed would best support her child's happiness.
Hayden's death was ruled an accident by the Greenville County Coroner's Office due to the discovery of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol and Quetiapine in her system. After her death, Wladimir shared a moving tribute to his ex-fiancée on social media, writing: "Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief."
"The announcement of Hayden's tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya," he continued.
